: a precious stone of the ancients sometimes held to be the sapphire
b
: a gem zircon or hessonite
2
a
: a plant of the ancients held to be a lily, iris, larkspur, or gladiolus
b
: a bulbous perennial herb (Hyacinthus orientalis) of the asparagus family that is native to the Mediterranean region but is widely grown for its dense spikes of fragrant flowers compare grape hyacinth, water hyacinth
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Crocuses, daffodils, hyacinths, and lilies add to this coat of many colors.—Ashlea Halpern, AFAR Media, 6 Mar. 2025 This hyacinth woven tray is a must-have for my coffee table.—Ali Faccenda, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Jan. 2025 The bulbs — which include tulips, narcissus, hyacinths and irises — are usually covered by other crops that winter visitors can view.—Tasha Tsiaperas, Axios, 19 Dec. 2024 Unlike other bulbs that can be forced for early indoor color, like tulips and hyacinths, paperwhites don’t have a chilling period prerequisite.—Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 27 Nov. 2024 See All Example Sentences for hyacinth
Word History
Etymology
Latin hyacinthus, a precious stone, a flowering plant, from Greek hyakinthos
: a common garden plant that grows from a bulb, is related to the lilies, and is widely grown for its showy dense spikes of fragrant bell-shaped flowers compare grape hyacinth, water hyacinth
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