idyll

noun

ˈī-dᵊl How to pronounce idyll (audio)
 British usually  ˈi-(ˌ)dil
variants or less commonly idyl
1
a
: a simple descriptive work in poetry or prose that deals with rustic life or pastoral scenes or suggests a mood of peace and contentment
b
: a narrative poem (such as Tennyson's Idylls of the King) treating an epic, romantic, or tragic theme
2
a
: a lighthearted carefree episode that is a fit subject for an idyll
b
: a romantic interlude

Examples of idyll in a Sentence

her year as a vineyard worker in the south of France was not the idyll that she had expected it to be
Recent Examples on the Web This year, European strands stole the thunder from the usual Caribbean idylls with Praia da Falésia in Portugal’s Algarve nabbing the top spot, thanks to reviews extolling its soft sand, strikingly scarlet cliffs and lapping waves. Jackie Burrell, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024 That idyll ended abruptly Wednesday when a gunman fired upon a crowd that had gathered to listen to a cover band on spaghetti night at the watering hole, killing three and wounding six. Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2023 But by the 2000s, demographic change was afoot as racial attitudes shifted and people of all kinds sought the same suburban idyll. Richard Fausset, New York Times, 20 Jan. 2024 To a boy born and raised in Galicia, France was a paradise of liberty and prosperity, but the idyll was short-lived. Kathryn Schulz, The New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2023 But Carolyn’s Big Long Lake idyll with Gerry was about to end. Barbara Lippert, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Nov. 2023 Wooden entry gates open to a terraced idyll linked by a brick stairway that meanders down to the front of the main house. Mark David, Robb Report, 26 Sep. 2023 One thing spoils the idyll: There isn’t enough water. Christopher Flavelle, New York Times, 24 Nov. 2023 Despite the change in locale, of course, the rot persists: Even in this idyll, there’s the specter of the missing girl, just as beneath the happy front Alice presents, supports are giving way. Michael Ordoña, Los Angeles Times, 29 Dec. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'idyll.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin idyllium, from Greek eidyllion, from diminutive of eidos form; akin to Greek idein to see — more at wit

First Known Use

1586, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of idyll was in 1586

Dictionary Entries Near idyll

Cite this Entry

“Idyll.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/idyll. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

idyll

noun
variants also idyl
1
: a simple poetic or prose work that describes peaceful country life
2
: a scene or event one might write an idyll about

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