English pronunciation · Words Starting with H
Halcyon Pronunciation
Halcyon is pronounced HAL-see-uhn, IPA /ˈhælsiən/.
HAL-see-uhn
US /ˈhælsiən/ · UK /ˈhælsɪən/
Syllables: HAL · see · uhn (3 syllables, stress on syllable 1)
adjective: Calm and happy, used of a remembered period of peace.
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Halcyon in a Sentence
- Those were the halcyon years of the yard.
- She writes about a halcyon summer on the estuary.
- The halcyon mood lasted until the first bill arrived.
Common Mispronunciations of Halcyon
Not hal-SY-uhn
Three beats led from the front, and the middle one is a quiet see.
Not HAL-kee-uhn
The c here is soft, giving an s, so the second beat is see and never kee.
Tip: The halcyon was a bird the Greeks believed calmed the sea while it nested at midwinter.
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