Halcyon--3.1

When &Where

I came across this word while sitting at me kitchen table and  googling "words every college student should know."

Level of Familiarity

I was getting nervous about not encountering an unfamiliar word, so I went out and found one. I am confident that I have seen this word before, but had no idea what it meant.

What it Means

Dictionary.com defines "halcyon" as the following when used as an adjective:
1. calm; peaceful; tranquil
2. rich; wealthy; prosperous
3. happy; joyful; carefree
4. of or pertaining to the halcyon or kingfisher
When used as a noun:
5. a mythical bird, usually identified with the kingfisher, said to breed about the time of the winter solstice in a nest floating on the sea, and to have the power of charming winds and waves into calmness.

Reflective Commentary

I am very glad to have chosen this word to pursue the meaning of. I love the meaning of this word, all aspects and nuances. Calm, peaceful, and tranquil have always been favorite adjectives of mine;words that stir up very positive connotations, and now "halcyon" can join them! At first I was not sure how to pronounce it, but took advantage of the speaker icon to hear the word pronounced and found it pleasant sounding too. It  sounds like "calcium" but with an "n" instead of an "m" at the end. Another connection to this word I made and reason for feeling close to it already is its relationship with the kingfisher, a type of bird. For the past six years we have taken a family trip to the Outer Banks and the house we stay in is called the kingfisher. Our vacation down there is always  halcyon, filled with days spent right next to the rolling blue ocean.

I do not feel comfortable using this word in my daily speech just yet, but maybe the more familiar I become with it,it may sneak its way into my vocabulary. It will definitely show up as a synonym to calm and peaceful when I'm teaching diction in writing!