Main Entry:

hy·a·cinth

Pronunciation:

\ˈhī-ə-(ˌ)sin(t)th, -sən(t)th\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Latin hyacinthus, a precious stone, a flowering plant, from Greek hyakinthos

Date:

1553

1 a: a precious stone of the ancients sometimes held to be the sapphire b: a gem zircon or essonite2 a: a plant of the ancients held to be a lily, iris, larkspur, or gladiolus b: a bulbous perennial herb (Hyacinthus orientalis) of the lily family that is native to the Mediterranean region but is widely grown for its dense spikes of fragrant flowers — compare grape hyacinth, water hyacinth3: a light violet to moderate purple

— hy·a·cin·thine \ˌhī-ə-ˈsin(t)-thən\ adjective

[hyacinth illustration]