heyday

English

Etymology

Late 16th century, from earlier heyda (1520s), as exclamation – compare hey, hei. Sense “period of success, vigor” from 1751, which respelt as heyday based on unrelated day (as “period of time”) – compare day in the sun.

Pronunciation

• Audio (US)

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• Rhymes: -eɪdeɪ

Noun

heyday (plural heydays)

1. A period of success, popularity or power; prime.

   The early twentieth century was the heyday of the steam locomotive.

Synonyms

• day in the sun

Related terms

• hey

Translations

a period of success, popularity or power

Danish: blomstringstid (da) c., storhedstid (da) c., velmagtsdage (da) c. pl. Dutch: hoogtijdagen (nl), bloeitijd (nl) Finnish: kukoistuskausi (fi) Manx: ard-laa (gv) m.

Portuguese: auge (pt) Spanish: auge (es) Swedish: glansdag (sv)

Interjection

heyday

1. A lively greeting.
   • 1798:"Heyday, Miss Morland!" said he. "What is the meaning of this? I thought you and I were to dance together." Jane Austen - Northanger Abbey