Word of the day · 3 August 2026
halcyon
/ˈhælsiən/
adjective
Denoting a period of peace, happiness and prosperity in the past.
In a sentence
- She called her first year abroad the halcyon chapter of her twenties.
- Investors spoke of halcyon markets before the crash.
- Halcyon summers at the lake still shape the family's stories.
In an image
Origin
From Greek alkyōn (kingfisher); myth said the bird calmed the sea while nesting, giving halcyon days.
History
Classical myth linked the kingfisher to a brief spell of winter calm. English poets and historians borrowed halcyon days for peaceful stretches remembered fondly. The adjective can tip into nostalgia when the past is softened by distance. Naturalists still use Halcyon as a genus name for some kingfishers.
Nearby words
idyllic · peaceful · golden
Those calm days people name only after they end.