Definitions

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Period of calm during the winter, when storms do not occur.
  • noun idiomatic A period of calm, often nostalgic: “halcyon days of yore”, “halcyon days of youth”.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin Alcyone, daughter of Aeolus and wife of Ceyx. When her husband died in a shipwreck, Alcyone threw herself into the sea whereupon the gods transformed them both into halcyon birds (kingfishers). When Alcyone made her nest on the beach, waves threatened to destroy it. Aeolus restrained his winds and made the waves be calm during seven days in each year, so she could lay her eggs. These became known as the "halcyon days", when storms never occur.

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word halcyon days.

Examples

    Sorry, no example sentences found.

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.

  • Period of calm during the winter, when storms do not occur.

    September 20, 2007

  • = a nostalgic and idealistic reference to a perfect time in one's life

    July 25, 2008