cyclamen

noun

cy·​cla·​men ˈsī-klə-mən How to pronounce cyclamen (audio)
ˈsi-
: any of a genus (Cyclamen) of Old World plants of the primrose family having showy nodding flowers

Examples of cyclamen in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Constance Spry, the doyenne of British floristry, shared her favorite Christmas arrangement with the magazine: green moss spread over wire netting, then studded with cyclamens and ivy. Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 23 Dec. 2023 Add a pop of color to those dreary winter days with a cyclamen plant in your home. Mariah Thomas, Good Housekeeping, 31 Jan. 2023 Persian violet is actually a cyclamen (Cyclamen coum) that can begin flowering as early as December, but usually produces its best show in February and early March. Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Dec. 2022 Flowering plants such as azalea, kalanchoe, cyclamen and amaryllis are good gifts to give during the winter. Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 4 Dec. 2022 See all Example Sentences for cyclamen 

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin, genus name, going back to Medieval Latin ciclamin-, ciclamen, going back to Latin cyclamīnos, cyclamīnum, borrowed from Greek kyklámīnos, probably from kýklos "circle, wheel" + -aminos (as in sēsáminos "made of sesame," from sēsamê sesame + -inos, suffix of materials); so named from the round tuber of Cyclamen graecum — more at wheel entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1550, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cyclamen was circa 1550

Dictionary Entries Near cyclamen

Cite this Entry

“Cyclamen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cyclamen. Accessed 7 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

cyclamen

noun
cy·​cla·​men ˈsī-klə-mən How to pronounce cyclamen (audio)
ˈsik-lə-
: any of a genus of plants related to the primroses and often grown in pots for their showy nodding flowers

More from Merriam-Webster on cyclamen

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!