halcyon

See also Halcyon

English

WOTD – 2 May 2006    

Etymology

From Latin halcyon (“kingfisher”), alcyon, from Ancient Greek ἀλκυών (alkuōn).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ˈhælsiən/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

halcyon (plural halcyons)

1. In classical legends, a bird said to nest on the sea, thereby calming the waters; later usually identified with a type of kingfisher, hence (poetic) a kingfisher.
   • 1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essays, II.12:

     the Halcyon bird, or as some call it Alcedo or Kings-fisher, exceeds all mens conceit. [...] Gods decree hath been, that all the watrie wildernesse should be quiet and made calme, without raine, wind, or tempest, during the time the Halcyon sitteth and bringeth forth her young-ones [...].

   • 1665, John Dryden, The Indian Emperour, IV iv 132:

     Amidst our arms as quiet you shall be / As halcyons brooding on a winter sea.

   • c. 1880, Ambrose Bierce, On a Mountain:

     And, by the way, during those halcyon days (the halcyon was there, too, chattering above every creek, as he is all over the world) we fought another battle.

   • Dryden

     Amidst our arms as quiet you shall be / As halcyons brooding on a winter sea.

2. A tropical kingfisher of the genus Halcyon, such as the sacred kingfisher Halcyon sancta of Australia.

Translations

poetic: kingfisher

• Catalan: blauet (ca) m
• French: halcyon (fr) m

• Greek: αλκυόνη (el) (alkyóni) f
• Spanish: alcedón, alción

Bird of genus Halcyon

• Catalan: alció (ca) m
• Greek: αλκυόνη (el) (alkyóni) f

• Spanish: martín pescador, alcedón

Adjective

halcyon (comparative more halcyon, superlative most halcyon)

1. Pertaining to the halcyon or kingfisher
2. Calm, undisturbed, peaceful, serene.

Quotations

				1787	1842	1919
ME «	15th c.	16th c.	17th c.	18th c.	19th c.	20th c.	21st c.

• 1787 — Alexander Hamilton, Federalist Papers No. 30

  Reflections of this kind may have trifling weight with men who hope to see realized in America the halcyon scenes of the poetic or fabulous age.

• 1842 — Thomas de Quincey, Cicero

  • Deep, halcyon repose.

• 1919 — H.P. Lovecraft, The City

  I had wander’d in rapture beneath them, and bask’d in the Halcyon clime.

Synonyms

• (calm, serene): at peace, blissful, calm, peaceful, prelapsarian, relaxed, serene

Derived terms

• halcyon days

Translations

Pertaining to the kingfisher

Calm

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.

Translations to be checked

• Bulgarian: мирен, тих

See also

• Alcyone

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Latin

halcyōn (kingfisher)

Alternative forms

• alcyōn

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἀλκυών (alkuōn, “kingfisher”).

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈhal.kʏ.oːn/

Noun

halcyōn (genitive halcyonis); f, third declension

1. The halcyon; kingfisher.

Inflection

Number	Singular	Plural
nominative	halcyōn	halcyonēs
genitive	halcyonis	halcyonum
dative	halcyonī	halcyonibus
accusative	halcyonem	halcyonēs
ablative	halcyone	halcyonibus
vocative	halcyōn	halcyonēs

Synonyms

• (kingfisher, halcyon): alcēdō

Related terms

• alcēdō
• Alcyone