Word of the Day: IDYLLIC
Heavenly or halcyon
idyllic (adj) - extremely pleasant, peaceful, or picturesque, especially in a natural setting; of or pertaining to an idyll [ahy-dil-ik]
an idyll is an idealized rural or pastoral setting, scenario, or period or a creative work celebrating such a setting; a short work of a pastoral or rural character (also idyl)
BREAKDOWN: The word idyll comes directly from Greek eidullion meaning short poem or little picture. The most well-known representation of the form is likely the Idylls of Theocritus, even though authors as far-ranging as Virgil, Tennyson, and Nietzsche also produced idylls. Over time, the word idyllic expanded in meaning from simply referencing a written, visual, or musical work to also describing the subject of such works: peaceful or picturesque pastoral settings. Ultimately, idyll and idyllic are derived from the root EID- meaning to see or know in words like eidetic or idea.
“Hawai'i is not truly the idyllic paradise of popular songs—islands of love and tranquility, where nothing bad ever happens. It was and is a place where people work and struggle, live and die, as they do the world over.” —Alan Brennert
[Our Wednesday Wildcards are fascinating and important words that are not derived from classical roots.]