a bulbous plant, Hyacinthus orientalis, of the lily family, widely cultivated for its cylindrical cluster of fragrant flowers in a variety of colors.
any of various similar or related plants, as the grape hyacinth or the water hyacinth.
a plant fabled to have sprung from the blood of Hyacinthus and variously identified as iris, gladiolus, larkspur, etc.
Mineralogy. a reddish-orange zircon.
a gem of the ancients, held to be the amethyst or sapphire.
any liliaceous plant of the Mediterranean genus Hyacinthus, esp any cultivated variety of H. orientalis, having a thick flower stalk bearing white, blue, or pink fragrant flowers
the flower or bulb of such a plant
any similar or related plant, such as the grape hyacinth
Also called: jacinth. a red or reddish-brown transparent variety of the mineral zircon, used as a gemstone
Greek myth a flower which sprang from the blood of the dead Hyacinthus
any of the varying colours of the hyacinth flower or stone
( as modifier )
hyacinth eyes
1545–55; < Latin hyacinthus < Greek hyákinthos blue larkspur, also a gem of blue color; cf. jacinth
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It’s beautifully packaged in a woven hyacinth basket and ready for gifting.
From Salon • Dec. 4, 2025
The estuary already has a long list of non-native species, including bass, water hyacinth, Asian clams and overbite clams.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 6, 2024
On a recent summer afternoon, Duke, the farm dog, swims splashy laps in the hyacinth ponds.
From Seattle Times • Sep. 11, 2023
Now, the visitors are greeted to the sight of boats stuck in a sea of invasive green water hyacinth weed.
From Reuters • Mar. 1, 2023
Most of the mound centers were in the middle of trackless mangrove swamps or up narrow, unmapped rivers choked with water hyacinth.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
