adj. & n.
adj. 1 calm, peaceful (halcyon days). 2 (of a period) happy, prosperous.
n. 1 any kingfisher of the genus Halcyon, native to Europe, Africa, and Australasia, with brightly-coloured plumage. 2 Mythol. a bird thought in antiquity to breed in a nest floating at sea at the winter solstice, charming the wind and waves into calm.
[ ME f. L (h)alcyon f. Gk (h)alkuon kingfisher ]