Other

halcyon

Syllabification: (hal·cy·on)

Pronunciation: /ˈhalsēən/

Definition of halcyon

adjective

denoting a period of time in the past that was idyllically happy and peaceful:the halcyon days of the mid-1980s, when profits were soaring

noun

1a tropical Asian and African kingfisher with brightly colored plumage.
- Genus Halcyon, family Alcedinidae: many species

2a mythical bird said by ancient writers to breed in a nest floating at sea at the winter solstice, charming the wind and waves into calm.

Origin:

late Middle English (in the mythological sense): via Latin from Greek alkuōn 'kingfisher' (also halkuōn, by association with hals 'sea' and kuōn 'conceiving')

Remember that halcyon ends with -cyon.

halcyon in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of halcyon in the British & World English dictionary

Nearby words

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