halcyon

 
Pronunciation: /ˈhalsɪən, -ʃ(ə)n/

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 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.
  • 2a tropical Asian and African kingfisher with brightly coloured plumage.
    • Genus Halcyon, family Alcedinidae: many species

Origin:

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

Spelling help

Remember that halcyon ends with -cyon.