halcyon

• POS: Adjective, Noun
• HYPHEN: hal=cy=on

CIDE DICTIONARY

halcyon, n. [L. halcyon, alcyon, Gr. "alkyw`n, 'alkyw`n: cf. F. halcyon.].

 A kingfisher. By modern ornithologists restricted to a genus including a limited number of species having omnivorous habits, as the sacred kingfisher (Halcyon sancta) of Australia.  [1913 Webster]
"Amidst our arms as quiet you shall be
As halcyons brooding on a winter sea."  [1913 Webster]

halcyon, a. 

•  Pertaining to, or resembling, the halcyon, which was anciently said to lay her eggs in nests on or near the sea during the calm weather about the winter solstice.  [1913 Webster]
•  Hence: Calm; quiet; peaceful; undisturbed; happy.  De Quincy.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

halcyon, 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.

Etymology

ME f. L (h)alcyon f. Gk (h)alkuon kingfisher

THESAURUS

halcyon

Saturnian, at peace, at rest, balmy, bloodless, blooming, blossoming, booming, bright, calm, clear, cloistered, concordant, cool, dwindling, ebbing, even-tenored, exuberant, fair, fat, flourishing, flowering, fruiting, going strong, hushed, idyllic, impassive, in full swing, in good case, isolated, mild, moldering, orderly, pacific, palmy, pastoral, peaceable, peaceful, peacetime, piping, placid, prospering, quiescent, quiet, reposeful, reposing, restful, resting, rosy, secluded, sequestered, sequestrated, serene, sheltered, sleek, smooth, soft, still, still as death, stillish, stilly, stoic, stolid, subsiding, sunny, thriving, tranquil, unagitated, undisturbed, unmoved, unperturbed, unruffled, unstirring, untroubled, vigorous, waning

ROGET THESAURUS

halcyon

Peace

N peace, amity, harmony, tranquility, calm, truce, peace treaty, accord, peace pipe, pipe of peace, calumet of peace, piping time of peace, quiet life, neutrality, dove of peace, white dove, dove, pax Romana, Pax Americana, pacific, peaceable, peaceful, calm, tranquil, untroubled, halcyon, bloodless, neutral, dovish, the storm blown over, the lion lies down with the lamb, all quiet on the Potomac, paritur pax bello, peace hath her victories no less renowned than war, they make a desert and they call it peace.

Prosperity

N prosperity, welfare, well-being, affluence, success, thrift, roaring trade, good fortune, smiles of fortune, blessings, godsend, luck, good luck, run of luck, sunshine, fair weather, fair wind, palmy days, bright days, halcyon days, piping times, tide, flood, high tide, Saturnia regna, Saturnian age, golden time, golden age, bed of roses, fat city, fat of the land, milk and honey, loaves and fishes, made man, lucky dog, enfant gate, spoiled child of fortune, upstart, parvenu, skipjack, mushroom, prosperous, thriving, in a fair way, buoyant, well off, well to do, well to do in the world, set up, at one's ease, rich, in good case, in full, in high feather, fortunate, lucky, in luck, born with a silver spoon in one's mouth, born under a lucky star, on the sunny side of the hedge, auspicious, propitious, providential, palmy, halcyon, agreeable, couleur de rose, prosperously, swimmingly, as good luck would have it, beyond all hope, one's star in the ascendant, all for the best, one's course runs smooth, chacun est l'artisan de sa fortune, donec eris felix multos numerabis amicos, felicitas multos habet amicos, felix se nescit amari, good luck go with thee, nulli est homini perpetuum bonum.

Pleasurableness

N pleasurableness, pleasantness, agreeableness, pleasure giving, jucundity, delectability, amusement, attraction, attractiveness, attractability, invitingness, harm, fascination, enchantment, witchery, seduction, winning ways, amenity, amiability, winsomeness, loveliness, sunny side, bright side, sweets, goodness, manna in the wilderness, land flowing with milk and honey, bittersweet, fair weather, treat, regale, dainty, titbit, tidbit, nuts, sauce piquante, causing pleasure, laetificant, pleasure-giving, pleasing, pleasant, pleasurable, agreeable, grateful, gratifying, leef, lief, acceptable, welcome, welcome as the roses in May, welcomed, favorite, to one's taste, to one's mind, to one's liking, satisfactory, refreshing, comfortable, cordial, genial, glad, gladsome, sweet, delectable, nice, dainty, delicate, delicious, dulcet, luscious, palatable, luxurious, voluptuous, sensual, attractive, inviting, prepossessing, engaging, winning, winsome, taking, fascinating, captivating, killing, seducing, seductive, heart-robbing, alluring, enticing, appetizing, cheering, bewitching, enchanting, entrancing, enravishing, charming, delightful, felicitous, exquisite, lovely, ravishing, rapturous, heartfelt, thrilling, ecstatic, beatic, beatific, seraphic, empyrean, elysian, palmy, halcyon, Saturnian, decies repetita placebit, charms strike the sight but merit wins the soul, sweetness and light, beauty is only skin deep.

Moderation

N moderation, lenity, temperateness, gentleness, sobriety, quiet, mental calmness, moderating, anaphrodisia, relaxation, remission, mitigation, tranquilization, assuagement, contemporation, pacification, measure, juste milieu, golden mean, ariston metron, moderator, lullaby, sedative, lenitive, demulcent, antispasmodic, carminative, laudanum, rose water, balm, poppy, opiate, anodyne, milk, opium, poppy or mandragora, wet blanket, palliative, moderate, lenient, gentle, mild, mellow, cool, sober, temperate, reasonable, measured, tempered, calm, unruffled, quiet, tranquil, still, slow, smooth, untroubled, tame, peaceful, peaceable, pacific, halcyon, unexciting, unirritating, soft, bland, oily, demulcent, lenitive, anodyne, hypnotic, sedative, antiorgastic, anaphrodisiac, mild as mother's milk, milk and water, moderately, gingerly, piano, under easy sail, at half speed, within bounds, within compass, in reason, est modue in rebus, pour oil on troubled waters.