HALCYON


Meaning of HALCYON in English

[ 'halsɪən , -ʃ(ə)n ]

■ adjective denoting a past time regarded as idyllically happy and peaceful: the ~ days of the mid 1980s.

■ noun

1》 a mythical bird said to breed in a nest floating at sea, charming the wind and waves into calm.

2》 a tropical Asian and African kingfisher with brightly coloured plumage. [Genus Halcyon : many species.]

Origin

ME: via L. from Gk alkuōn 'kingfisher' (also halkuōn , by assoc. with hals 'sea' and kuōn 'conceiving').

Concise Oxford English vocab.      Сжатый оксфордский словарь английского языка.