forsythia

[ fawr-sith-ee-uh, -sahy-thee-uh, fer- ]

/ fɔrˈsɪθ i ə, -ˈsaɪ θi ə, fər- /

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noun

a shrub belonging to the genus Forsythia, of the olive family, native to China and southeastern Europe, species of which are cultivated for their showy yellow flowers, which blossom on the bare branches in early spring.

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Origin of forsythia

<New Latin, after William Forsyth (1737–1804), English horticulturist; see -ia

Words nearby forsythia

Forstner bit, for sure, forswear, forsworn, Forsyth, forsythia, fort, Fortaleza, fortalice, Fortas, Fortaz

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use forsythia in a sentence

First came the forsythia, in welcome yellow delicacy all over the city, and here and there about the grounds.
Betty Lee, Freshman|David Goodger (goodger@python.org)
Forsythia blooms in April with masses of yellow flowers; moderate, quick growth; seldom over six feet high.
A Woman's Hardy Garden|Helena Rutherfurd Ely
Cherry, Apple, Forsythia, and other blossoming trees and shrubs can be thus forced to bloom.
Outlines of Lessons in Botany, Part I; From Seed to Leaf|Jane H. Newell
The weigela, forsythia, and spiræa are also excellent shrubs.
Ontario Teachers' Manuals: Household Science in Rural Schools|Ministry of Education Ontario

Yellow bells from the wands of circling forsythia bushes drop into a deep hollow lined with velvet grass.
Minstrel Weather|Marian Storm

British Dictionary definitions for forsythia

forsythia

/ (fɔːˈsaɪθɪə) /

noun

any oleaceous shrub of the genus Forsythia, native to China, Japan, and SE Europe but widely cultivated for its showy yellow bell-shaped flowers, which appear in spring before the foliage

Word Origin for forsythia

C19: New Latin, named after William Forsyth (1737–1804), English botanist

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012