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In its earliest appearances in English, in the 16th century, heyday was used as an interjection that expressed elation or wonder (similar to our word hey, from which it derives). Within a few decades, heyday was seeing use as a noun meaning "high spirits." This sense can be seen in Act III, scene 4 of Hamlet, when the Prince of Denmark tells his mother, "You cannot call it love; for at your age / The heyday in the blood is tame…." The word's second syllable is not thought to be borne of the modern word day (or any of its ancestors), but in the 18th century the syllable's resemblance to that word likely influenced the development of the now-familiar use referring to the period when one's achievement or popularity has reached its zenith.
Examples of heyday in a Sentence
Sara Merican, Deadline, 10 Apr. 2025
Dave Allen, the bassist who played with Gang of Four in their heyday, died at home with his family on Saturday, April 5, the band announced on social media.
—Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 7 Apr. 2025
This is one reason which led to the fall of other large healthcare unicorns such as Babylon Health and most recently, 23andMe, both multi-billion dollar enterprises in their heyday; many have since opined that both lost their purpose during their meteoric rise.
—Dr. Sai Balasubramanian, M.d., Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Larry Tamblyn was born in Los Angeles in 1943 to performer parents who toured the Orpheum Circuit together in their heyday.
—Amber Tamblyn, Rolling Stone, 26 Mar. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Heyday.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heyday. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
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