narcissus

nar·cis·sus | \ när-ˈsi-səs

Definition of narcissus

1 capitalized : a beautiful youth in Greek mythology who pines away for love of his own reflection and is then turned into the narcissus flower

2 plural narcissi\ när-ˈsi-ˌsī

, -(ˌ)sē \ or narcissuses or narcissus [New Latin, genus name, from Latin, narcissus, from Greek narkissos] : daffodil especially : one whose flowers have a short corona and are usually borne separately

Examples of narcissus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Hitachi also has the most narcissus plants and varieties in Japan, with about 1 million daffodils blooming from late March to mid-April every year. — Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, "Millions of Blue Flowers Are Blooming in This Japanese Park, and the Photos Are Amazing," 30 Apr. 2020 Gorgeous varieties of daffodils or narcissus, from neon orange to butter yellow to lemon chiffon. — Maria Shine Stewart, cleveland, "Don’t make the mistake of missing that gorgeous spring day: Sun Messages," 27 Apr. 2020 My favorites include amaryllis, hyacinth and narcissus. — Washington Post, "Hints From Heloise: Begging off," 23 Nov. 2019 Paperwhites belong to a class of narcissus named Tazetta; fragrant garden varieties include Avalanche, Geranium and Minnow. — Washington Post, "Gardens have largely lost their fragrance. Here’s how we can bring it back.," 4 Dec. 2019 With its sensual bouquet of crisp pear, Egyptian jasmine, sweet narcissus, and musky patchouli and moss, Stone prefers to mist it on after dark. — Lauren Valenti, Vogue, "Emma Stone on Using Fragrance to Get Into Character, and Her Latest Transformation Into Cruella de Vil," 12 Nov. 2019 Daffodils, also called narcissus, grow in USDA Hardiness zones 3 to 8 (check your zone here). — Arricca Elin Sansone, House Beautiful, "How to Plant Daffodils," 28 June 2019 The name Anemone was born out of their favorite flower, likenesses of which are featured in their embroideries, along with poppies, ranunculus, and narcissus. — Brooke Bobb, Vogue, "Anemone is a New Swimwear Line Inspired by One of Kate Moss’s Minimalist Dresses From the ’90s," 26 Nov. 2018 Inspired by his favorite spring flowers, creator Christopher Brosius designed this fragrance with the essences of hyacinth, daffodil, crocus, and tulip, and the absolutes of narcissus and jonquil. — Evelyn Crowley, Vogue, "Why Fragrance Water Is the Perfume World’s New Obsession," 11 Aug. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'narcissus.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.