forsythia

noun

for·​syth·​ia fər-ˈsi-thē-ə 

 chiefly British  -ˈsī-

plural forsythias also forsythia

: any of a genus (Forsythia) of ornamental shrubs of the olive family with opposite leaves and yellow bell-shaped flowers appearing before the leaves in early spring

Illustration of forsythia

Examples of forsythia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Hardiness Zone: 5-8 Growth Rate: 24 inches per year With upright, sometimes arching branches and a cloud of yellow blooms that flower on last year’s wood, the forsythia is an iconic sight in the South. —Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 10 June 2025

Many deciduous ornamentals including redbuds, forsythia, crabapples, fruit trees, quince azaleas and many others were not adversely affected by last summer’s drought and the cold, windy winter and frozen soils that followed. —Pamm Cooper, Hartford Courant, 10 May 2025

Faux Forsythia Bundle No table is complete without an eye-catching centerpiece, and this forsythia bundle will do the trick. —Isabella Milano, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Mar. 2025

Depending on your hardiness zone, shrubs and trees like forsythia, azaleas, camellias, redbuds, cherries, plums, dogwoods, and star magnolias are also putting on a show in gardens. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 26 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from William Forsyth †1804 British botanist

First Known Use

circa 1814, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for forsythia

• lithia

Kids Definition

forsythia

noun

for·​syth·​ia fər-ˈsith-ē-ə 

plural forsythias also forsythia

: any of a genus of shrubs related to the olive and having yellow bell-shaped flowers appearing before the leaves in early spring