"halcyon" meaning in English

See halcyon in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Adjective

IPA: /ˈhælsi.ən/ [UK], /ˈhælʃən/ [obsolete], /ˈhælʃi.ən/ [obsolete] Audio: en-us-halcyon.ogg [US] Forms: more halcyon [comparative], most halcyon [superlative]
Etymology: Inherited from Middle English Alceoun, from Latin halcyōn, alcyōn (“kingfisher”), from Ancient Greek ἀλκυών (alkuṓn). Etymology templates: {{glossary|Inherited}} Inherited, {{inh|en|enm|Alceoun|||g=|g2=|g3=|id=|lit=|nocat=|pos=|sc=|sort=|tr=|ts=}} Middle English Alceoun, {{inh+|en|enm|Alceoun}} Inherited from Middle English Alceoun, {{der|en|la|halcyōn}} Latin halcyōn, {{m|la|alcyōn||kingfisher}} alcyōn (“kingfisher”), {{der|en|grc|ἀλκυών}} Ancient Greek ἀλκυών (alkuṓn) Head templates: {{en-adj}} halcyon (comparative more halcyon, superlative most halcyon)
  1. Pertaining to the halcyon or kingfisher. Categories (lifeform): Kingfishers Translations (pertaining to the kingfisher): kuningaskalastaja- (Finnish), alcionio (Italian)
    Sense id: en-halcyon-en-adj-RKeD4smm Disambiguation of Kingfishers: 30 3 21 21 26 Disambiguation of 'pertaining to the kingfisher': 95 5
  2. (figurative) Calm, undisturbed, peaceful, serene. Tags: figuratively Synonyms: at peace, blissful, calm, peaceful, prelapsarian, relaxed, serene, quiet Translations (calm): мирен (miren) (Bulgarian), спокоен (spokoen) (Bulgarian), tyven (Finnish), ruhig (German), glücklich (German), friedlich (German), alcionio (Italian), aupaki (Maori), āio (Maori)
    Sense id: en-halcyon-en-adj-rTfR0f7u Disambiguation of 'calm': 0 100
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Synonyms: alcyon Derived forms: halcyon days Related terms: Alcyone

Noun

IPA: /ˈhælsi.ən/ [UK], /ˈhælʃən/ [obsolete], /ˈhælʃi.ən/ [obsolete] Audio: en-us-halcyon.ogg [US] Forms: halcyons [plural]
Etymology: Inherited from Middle English Alceoun, from Latin halcyōn, alcyōn (“kingfisher”), from Ancient Greek ἀλκυών (alkuṓn). Etymology templates: {{glossary|Inherited}} Inherited, {{inh|en|enm|Alceoun|||g=|g2=|g3=|id=|lit=|nocat=|pos=|sc=|sort=|tr=|ts=}} Middle English Alceoun, {{inh+|en|enm|Alceoun}} Inherited from Middle English Alceoun, {{der|en|la|halcyōn}} Latin halcyōn, {{m|la|alcyōn||kingfisher}} alcyōn (“kingfisher”), {{der|en|grc|ἀλκυών}} Ancient Greek ἀλκυών (alkuṓn) Head templates: {{en-noun}} halcyon (plural halcyons)
  1. (poetic) A kingfisher whose nesting by the sea was said, in classical mythology, to cause the Gods to restrain the wind and waves. Tags: poetic Categories (lifeform): Kingfishers
    Sense id: en-halcyon-en-noun-5Zt8SI4S Disambiguation of Kingfishers: 30 3 21 21 26
  2. (poetic) A kingfisher whose nesting by the sea was said, in classical mythology, to cause the Gods to restrain the wind and waves.
    The dead body of such a bird, said in Tudor times to act as a weather vane when hung from a beam.
    Tags: poetic Categories (lifeform): Kingfishers
    Sense id: en-halcyon-en-noun-OLGWqvhX Disambiguation of Kingfishers: 30 3 21 21 26
  3. A tropical kingfisher of the genus Halcyon, such as the sacred kingfisher (Halcyon sancta) of Australia. Categories (lifeform): Kingfishers Translations (bird of genus Halcyon): синьо рибарче (sinjo ribarče) [neuter] (Bulgarian), alció [masculine] (Catalan), metsäkalastaja (Finnish), αλκυόνη (alkyóni) [feminine] (Greek), halkapó (Hungarian), halcion (Hungarian), martín pescador (Spanish), alcedón (Spanish) Translations (poetic: kingfisher): ἀλκυών (alkuṓn) [feminine] (Ancient Greek), blauet [masculine] (Catalan), jäälintu (Finnish), halcyon [masculine] (French), αλκυόνη (alkyóni) [feminine] (Greek), ailcín [masculine] (Irish), kōtare (Maori), alcedón (Spanish), alción (Spanish), зиморо́док (zymoródok) (Ukrainian), риба́лочка (rybáločka) (Ukrainian), водоморо́з (vodomoróz) (Ukrainian), vert-pexheu [masculine] (Walloon), rapexheu [masculine] (Walloon), pexhrea [masculine] (Walloon)
    Sense id: en-halcyon-en-noun-7XIOB5rC Disambiguation of Kingfishers: 30 3 21 21 26 Disambiguation of 'bird of genus Halcyon': 3 5 92 Disambiguation of 'poetic: kingfisher': 30 30 40
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Synonyms: alcyon

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

Download JSON data for halcyon meaning in English (11.2kB)

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          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "fi",
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          "word": "kuningaskalastaja-"
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          "ref": "1842, Thomas De Quincey, Cicero",
          "text": "Deep, halcyon repose.",
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        {
          "ref": "1919, H.P. Lovecraft, The City",
          "text": "I had wander’d in rapture beneath them, and bask’d in the Halcyon clime.",
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      ],
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        "(figurative) Calm, undisturbed, peaceful, serene."
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      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "at peace"
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        {
          "word": "blissful"
        },
        {
          "word": "calm"
        },
        {
          "word": "peaceful"
        },
        {
          "word": "prelapsarian"
        },
        {
          "word": "relaxed"
        },
        {
          "word": "serene"
        },
        {
          "word": "quiet"
        }
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        {
          "_dis1": "0 100",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "miren",
          "sense": "calm",
          "word": "мирен"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 100",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "spokoen",
          "sense": "calm",
          "word": "спокоен"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 100",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "calm",
          "word": "tyven"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 100",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "calm",
          "word": "ruhig"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 100",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "calm",
          "word": "glücklich"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 100",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "calm",
          "word": "friedlich"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 100",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "calm",
          "word": "alcionio"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 100",
          "code": "mi",
          "lang": "Maori",
          "sense": "calm",
          "word": "aupaki"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 100",
          "code": "mi",
          "lang": "Maori",
          "sense": "calm",
          "word": "āio"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈhælsi.ən/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈhælʃən/",
      "tags": [
        "obsolete"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈhælʃi.ən/",
      "tags": [
        "obsolete"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-halcyon.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/2/23/En-us-halcyon.ogg/En-us-halcyon.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/23/En-us-halcyon.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (US)"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "alcyon"
    }
  ],
  "word": "halcyon"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "en:Kingfishers"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "Inherited"
      },
      "expansion": "Inherited",
      "name": "glossary"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "Alceoun",
        "4": "",
        "5": "",
        "g": "",
        "g2": "",
        "g3": "",
        "id": "",
        "lit": "",
        "nocat": "",
        "pos": "",
        "sc": "",
        "sort": "",
        "tr": "",
        "ts": ""
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English Alceoun",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "Alceoun"
      },
      "expansion": "Inherited from Middle English Alceoun",
      "name": "inh+"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "halcyōn"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin halcyōn",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "la",
        "2": "alcyōn",
        "3": "",
        "4": "kingfisher"
      },
      "expansion": "alcyōn (“kingfisher”)",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "grc",
        "3": "ἀλκυών"
      },
      "expansion": "Ancient Greek ἀλκυών (alkuṓn)",
      "name": "der"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Inherited from Middle English Alceoun, from Latin halcyōn, alcyōn (“kingfisher”), from Ancient Greek ἀλκυών (alkuṓn).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "halcyons",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "halcyon (plural halcyons)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English poetic terms",
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "c. 1880, Ambrose Bierce, On a Mountain",
          "text": "And, by the way, during those halcyon days (the halcyon was there, too, chattering above every creek, as he is all over the world) we fought another battle.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A kingfisher whose nesting by the sea was said, in classical mythology, to cause the Gods to restrain the wind and waves."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "poetic",
          "poetic"
        ],
        [
          "kingfisher",
          "kingfisher"
        ],
        [
          "mythology",
          "mythology"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(poetic) A kingfisher whose nesting by the sea was said, in classical mythology, to cause the Gods to restrain the wind and waves."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "poetic"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English poetic terms",
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A kingfisher whose nesting by the sea was said, in classical mythology, to cause the Gods to restrain the wind and waves.",
        "The dead body of such a bird, said in Tudor times to act as a weather vane when hung from a beam."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "poetic",
          "poetic"
        ],
        [
          "kingfisher",
          "kingfisher"
        ],
        [
          "mythology",
          "mythology"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(poetic) A kingfisher whose nesting by the sea was said, in classical mythology, to cause the Gods to restrain the wind and waves.",
        "The dead body of such a bird, said in Tudor times to act as a weather vane when hung from a beam."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "poetic"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "Entries using missing taxonomic name (species)"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A tropical kingfisher of the genus Halcyon, such as the sacred kingfisher (Halcyon sancta) of Australia."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Halcyon",
          "Halcyon"
        ],
        [
          "sacred kingfisher",
          "sacred kingfisher"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈhælsi.ən/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈhælʃən/",
      "tags": [
        "obsolete"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈhælʃi.ən/",
      "tags": [
        "obsolete"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-halcyon.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/2/23/En-us-halcyon.ogg/En-us-halcyon.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/23/En-us-halcyon.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (US)"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "alcyon"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "poetic: kingfisher",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "blauet"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "poetic: kingfisher",
      "word": "jäälintu"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "poetic: kingfisher",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "halcyon"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "alkyóni",
      "sense": "poetic: kingfisher",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "αλκυόνη"
    },
    {
      "code": "grc",
      "lang": "Ancient Greek",
      "roman": "alkuṓn",
      "sense": "poetic: kingfisher",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "ἀλκυών"
    },
    {
      "code": "ga",
      "lang": "Irish",
      "sense": "poetic: kingfisher",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "ailcín"
    },
    {
      "code": "mi",
      "lang": "Maori",
      "sense": "poetic: kingfisher",
      "word": "kōtare"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "poetic: kingfisher",
      "word": "alcedón"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "poetic: kingfisher",
      "word": "alción"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "zymoródok",
      "sense": "poetic: kingfisher",
      "word": "зиморо́док"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "rybáločka",
      "sense": "poetic: kingfisher",
      "word": "риба́лочка"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "vodomoróz",
      "sense": "poetic: kingfisher",
      "word": "водоморо́з"
    },
    {
      "code": "wa",
      "lang": "Walloon",
      "sense": "poetic: kingfisher",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "vert-pexheu"
    },
    {
      "code": "wa",
      "lang": "Walloon",
      "sense": "poetic: kingfisher",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "rapexheu"
    },
    {
      "code": "wa",
      "lang": "Walloon",
      "sense": "poetic: kingfisher",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "pexhrea"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "sinjo ribarče",
      "sense": "bird of genus Halcyon",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "синьо рибарче"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "bird of genus Halcyon",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "alció"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "bird of genus Halcyon",
      "word": "metsäkalastaja"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "alkyóni",
      "sense": "bird of genus Halcyon",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "αλκυόνη"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "bird of genus Halcyon",
      "word": "halkapó"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "bird of genus Halcyon",
      "word": "halcion"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "bird of genus Halcyon",
      "word": "martín pescador"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "bird of genus Halcyon",
      "word": "alcedón"
    }
  ],
  "word": "halcyon"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "en:Kingfishers"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "halcyon days"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "Inherited"
      },
      "expansion": "Inherited",
      "name": "glossary"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "Alceoun",
        "4": "",
        "5": "",
        "g": "",
        "g2": "",
        "g3": "",
        "id": "",
        "lit": "",
        "nocat": "",
        "pos": "",
        "sc": "",
        "sort": "",
        "tr": "",
        "ts": ""
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English Alceoun",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "Alceoun"
      },
      "expansion": "Inherited from Middle English Alceoun",
      "name": "inh+"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "halcyōn"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin halcyōn",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "la",
        "2": "alcyōn",
        "3": "",
        "4": "kingfisher"
      },
      "expansion": "alcyōn (“kingfisher”)",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "grc",
        "3": "ἀλκυών"
      },
      "expansion": "Ancient Greek ἀλκυών (alkuṓn)",
      "name": "der"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Inherited from Middle English Alceoun, from Latin halcyōn, alcyōn (“kingfisher”), from Ancient Greek ἀλκυών (alkuṓn).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "more halcyon",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "most halcyon",
      "tags": [
        "superlative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "halcyon (comparative more halcyon, superlative most halcyon)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "Alcyone"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "glosses": [
        "Pertaining to the halcyon or kingfisher."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "kingfisher",
          "kingfisher"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1787, Alexander Hamilton, Federalist Papers No. 30",
          "text": "Reflections of this kind may have trifling weight with men who hope to see realized in America the halcyon scenes of the poetic or fabulous age.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1842, Thomas De Quincey, Cicero",
          "text": "Deep, halcyon repose.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1919, H.P. Lovecraft, The City",
          "text": "I had wander’d in rapture beneath them, and bask’d in the Halcyon clime.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Calm, undisturbed, peaceful, serene."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Calm",
          "calm"
        ],
        [
          "undisturbed",
          "undisturbed"
        ],
        [
          "peaceful",
          "peaceful"
        ],
        [
          "serene",
          "serene"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(figurative) Calm, undisturbed, peaceful, serene."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "at peace"
        },
        {
          "word": "blissful"
        },
        {
          "word": "calm"
        },
        {
          "word": "peaceful"
        },
        {
          "word": "prelapsarian"
        },
        {
          "word": "relaxed"
        },
        {
          "word": "serene"
        },
        {
          "word": "quiet"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "figuratively"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈhælsi.ən/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈhælʃən/",
      "tags": [
        "obsolete"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈhælʃi.ən/",
      "tags": [
        "obsolete"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-halcyon.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/2/23/En-us-halcyon.ogg/En-us-halcyon.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/23/En-us-halcyon.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (US)"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "alcyon"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "pertaining to the kingfisher",
      "word": "kuningaskalastaja-"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "pertaining to the kingfisher",
      "word": "alcionio"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "miren",
      "sense": "calm",
      "word": "мирен"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "spokoen",
      "sense": "calm",
      "word": "спокоен"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "calm",
      "word": "tyven"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "calm",
      "word": "ruhig"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "calm",
      "word": "glücklich"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "calm",
      "word": "friedlich"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "calm",
      "word": "alcionio"
    },
    {
      "code": "mi",
      "lang": "Maori",
      "sense": "calm",
      "word": "aupaki"
    },
    {
      "code": "mi",
      "lang": "Maori",
      "sense": "calm",
      "word": "āio"
    }
  ],
  "word": "halcyon"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-03-12 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-03-01 using wiktextract (68773ab and 5f6ddbb). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.