Halcyon — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun /ˈhal-sē-ən/ hal·cy·on

Meaning & Definition of Halcyon

Halcyon (adjective)

  1. characterized by happiness, great success, and prosperity, golden —often used to describe an idyllic time in the past that is remembered as better than today
  2. calm, peaceful
  3. prosperous, affluent

Halcyon (noun)

  1. a bird identified with the kingfisher and held in ancient legend to nest at sea about the time of the winter solstice and to calm the waves during incubation
  2. kingfisher

Halcyon (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. free from storms or physical disturbance

    "a halcyon era following the American Civil War"

    similar: calm, hushed, lown (dialect), peaceful, placid, quiet, serene, still, stilly, tranquil, untroubled
    related: balmy, clement, equable, gentle, mild, moderate, temperate, clear, cloudless, fair, rainless, sunny, sunshiny, windless
    opposite: agitated, angry, inclement, restless, rough, stormy, tempestuous, turbulent, unquiet, unsettled
    near: blizzardy, blustery, squally, windy, extreme, foul, intemperate, nasty, severe

  2. marked by vigorous growth and well-being especially economically

    "during those early halcyon years the company's potential for growth seemed unlimited"

    similar: booming, boomy, flourishing, golden, healthy, lush, palmy, prospering, prosperous, roaring, successful, thriving
    related: affluent, moneyed, opulent, rich, substantial, wealthy, well-heeled, well-off, well-to-do, comfortable
    opposite: depressed, unprosperous, unsuccessful
    near: declining, dying, failing, floundering, languishing, struggling, bankrupt, bankrupted, insolvent

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Halcyon

The most common words with a similar meaning to Halcyon:

Dialect: lown
calm, hushed, peaceful, placid, quiet, serene, still, stilly, tranquil, untroubled, booming, boomy, flourishing, golden, healthy, lush, palmy, prospering, prosperous, roaring, successful, thriving

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Halcyon

Words with the opposite meaning of Halcyon:

agitated, angry, inclement, restless, rough, stormy, tempestuous, turbulent, unquiet, unsettled, depressed, unprosperous, unsuccessful

Related Words for Halcyon

balmy, clement, equable, gentle, mild, moderate, temperate, clear, cloudless, fair, rainless, sunny, sunshiny, windless, affluent, moneyed, opulent, rich, substantial, wealthy, well-heeled, well-off, well-to-do, comfortable

Near Antonyms of Halcyon

blizzardy, blustery, squally, windy, extreme, foul, intemperate, nasty, severe, declining, dying, failing, floundering, languishing, struggling, bankrupt, bankrupted, insolvent

Origin & Etymology of Halcyon

Middle English alceon, from Latin halcyon, from Greek alkyōn, halkyōn

First known use: 1570

Frequently Asked Questions about Halcyon

What does "Halcyon" mean?

"Halcyon" means characterized by happiness, great success, and prosperity, golden —often used to describe an idyllic time in the past that is remembered as better than today. As an an adjective and a noun, it is defined as: characterized by happiness, great success, and prosperity, golden —often used to describe an idyllic time in the past that is remembered as better than today. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Halcyon"?

Other words for "Halcyon" include calm, hushed, lown, peaceful, placid, quiet, serene and still. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Halcyon" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Halcyon"?

There are 47 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Halcyon". Common alternatives include calm, hushed, lown, peaceful, placid, quiet, serene, still, stilly and tranquil.

What is the opposite of "Halcyon"?

Antonyms of "Halcyon" include agitated, angry, inclement, restless, rough, stormy, tempestuous and turbulent. Near antonyms include blizzardy, blustery, squally and windy.

How do you use "Halcyon" in a sentence?

Examples of "Halcyon" in a sentence: "a halcyon era following the American Civil War"; "during those early halcyon years the company's potential for growth seemed unlimited".

Is "Halcyon" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Halcyon" can be used as an adjective and a noun, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Halcyon"?

"Halcyon" is pronounced /ˈhal-sē-ən/ and divided into syllables as hal·cy·on.

What is the origin of the word "Halcyon"?

"Halcyon" comes from Middle English alceon, from Latin halcyon, from Greek alkyōn, halkyōn. First known use: 1570.