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- DictionaryHal·cy·on/ˈhalsēən/
adjective
- 1. 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
- 1. a tropical Asian and African kingfisher with brightly colored plumage.
- 2. a 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.
noun. a mythical bird, usually identified with the kingfisher, said to breed about the time of the winter solstice in a nest floating on the sea, and to have the power of charming winds and waves into calmness. any of various kingfishers, especially of the genus Halcyon. Halcyon,Classical Mythology. Alcyone ( def 2 ).
Definitions of halcyon. noun. a mythical bird said to breed at the time of the winter solstice in a nest floating on the sea and to have the power of calming the winds and waves. see more. adjective. idyllically calm and peaceful; suggesting happy tranquillity. “a halcyon atmosphere” synonyms: peaceable, peaceful.
Definition of halcyon adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
3 days ago · halcyon in American English. (ˈhælsiən ) noun. 1. a legendary bird, identified with the kingfisher, which is supposed to have a peaceful, calming influence on the sea at the time of the winter solstice. 2. Zoology. any of a genus ( Halcyon) of kingfishers of S Asia and Australia. adjective.
1. peaceful, gentle, and calm. 2. happy and carefree. n. 3. (Classical Myth & Legend) Greek myth a fabulous bird associated with the winter solstice. 4. (Animals) a poetic name for the kingfisher. 5. halcyon days. a. a fortnight of calm weather during the winter solstice. b. a period of peace and happiness.
Mar 9, 2024 · ( poetic) A kingfisher whose nesting by the sea was said, in classical mythology, to cause the Gods to restrain the wind and waves. The dead body of such a bird, said in Tudor times to act as a weather vane when hung from a beam. A tropical kingfisher of the genus Halcyon, such as the sacred kingfisher ( Halcyon sancta) of Australia.
Britannica Dictionary definition of HALCYON. always used before a noun literary. : very happy and successful — used to refer to a happy and successful time in the past that is remembered as being better than today.
