# halcyon

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈhælsi.ən/ · frequency rank #44,242

## Definitions
1. A kingfisher whose nesting by the sea was said, in classical mythology, to cause the Gods to restrain the wind and waves.
2. A kingfisher whose nesting by the sea was said, in classical mythology, to cause the Gods to restrain the wind and waves.
3. A tropical kingfisher of the genus Halcyon, such as the sacred kingfisher (Halcyon sancta) of Australia.

## Etymology
Inherited from Middle English Alceoun, from Latin halcyōn, alcyōn (“kingfisher”), from Ancient Greek ἀλκυών (alkuṓn).

## Common misspellings (11)
`ahlcyon`, `haclyon`, `halccyon`, `halcoyn`, `halcyno`, `halcyonn`, `halcyyon`, `hallcyon`, `halycon`, `hhalcyon`, `hlacyon`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/halcyon