Alcyon
/ˈæl.si.ən/noun
A poetic or literary term for the halcyon, a kingfisher associated in classical myth with calm seas.
Did you know?In Greek myth, the halcyon days were tied to Alcyone, whose mourning and transformation were believed to bring a brief period of supernatural calm to the winter seas.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἀλκυών (alkyṓn)
“A kingfisher; in myth, also linked to the bird associated with calm seas.”
Classical Greek Myth
Greek
Ἁλκυόνη (Halkyónē)
“Alcyone, a mythic woman transformed into a kingfisher.”
Latin
Latin
alcyon
“A kingfisher, borrowed from Greek.”
Middle English
English
alcion / alcyon
“A literary form for the kingfisher, especially in poetic contexts.”
Modern English
English
alcyon
“A rare poetic or learned form referring to the kingfisher or halcyon.”
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