| Hyacinth | n. [ L. hyacinthus a kind of flower, prob. the iris, gladiolus, or larkspur, also a kind of gem, perh. the sapphire; as, a proper name, Hyacinthus, a beautiful Laconian youth, beloved by Apollo, fr. Gr. &unr_;, &unr_;: cf. F. hyacinthe. Cf. Jacinth. The hyacinth was fabled to have sprung from the blood of Hyacinthus, who was accidentally slain by Apollo. ] 1. (Bot.) (a) A bulbous plant of the genus Hyacinthus, bearing beautiful spikes of fragrant flowers. Hyacinthus orientalis is a common variety. (b) A plant of the genus Camassia (Camassia Farseri), called also Eastern camass; wild hyacinth. (c) The name also given to Scilla Peruviana, a Mediterranean plant, one variety of which produces white, and another blue, flowers; -- called also, from a mistake as to its origin, Hyacinth of Peru. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. (Min.) A red variety of zircon, sometimes used as a gem. See Zircon. [ 1913 Webster ]
Hyacinth bean (Bot.), a climbing leguminous plant (Dolichos Lablab), related to the true bean. It has dark purple flowers and fruit. [ 1913 Webster ]
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| Hyacinthine | a. [ L. hyacinthinus, Gr. &unr_;. ] Belonging to the hyacinth; resembling the hyacinth; in color like the hyacinth. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ] His curling locks like hyacinthine flowers. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ] The hyacinthine boy, for whom
Morn well might break and April bloom. Emerson. |
| Hyads | { } n. pl. [ L. Hyades, Gr. &unr_;. ] (Astron.) A cluster of five stars in the face of the constellation Taurus, supposed by the ancients to indicate the coming of rainy weather when they rose with the sun. [ 1913 Webster ] Thro' scudding drifts the rainy Hyades
Vext the dim sea. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ] Variants: Hyades |
