hyacinth

UK: /ˈhaɪəsɪnθ/ US: /ˈhaɪəsɪnθ/ ,(hī′ə sinth)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

hy•a•cinth /ˈhaɪəsɪnθ/   n. [countable]

1. Plant Biology a plant grown from a bulb, of the lily family, with a rounded cluster of sweet-smelling, colorful flowers.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

hy•a•cinth  (hī′ə sinth), n. 

1. Plant Biology a bulbous plant, Hyacinthus orientalis, of the lily family, widely cultivated for its cylindrical cluster of fragrant flowers in a variety of colors.
2. Plant Biology any of various similar or related plants, as the grape hyacinth or the water hyacinth.
3. a plant fabled to have sprung from the blood of Hyacinthus and variously identified as iris, gladiolus, larkspur, etc.
4. [Mineral.] a reddish-orange zircon.
5. Jewelry a gem of the ancients, held to be the amethyst or sapphire. Also called jacinth for defs. 3–5.

• Greek hyákinthos blue larkspur, also a gem of blue color; compare jacinth
• Latin hyacinthus
• 1545–55

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

hyacinth / ˈhaɪəsɪnθ/ noun

1. 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
2. the flower or bulb of such a plant
3. any similar or related plant, such as the grape hyacinth
4. Also called: jacinth a red or reddish-brown transparent variety of the mineral zircon, used as a gemstone
5. any of the varying colours of the hyacinth flower or stone
6. (as modifier): hyacinth eyes

Etymology: 16th Century: from Latin hyacinthus, from Greek huakinthos

hyacinthine / ˌhaɪəˈsɪnθaɪn/ adjective