hyacinth

Noun
Synonyms: jacinth

WordNet 3.0

Noun (2)

  1. a red transparent variety of zircon used as a gemstoneSynonyms: jacinth
  2. any of numerous bulbous perennial herbs
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Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Hyacinth \Hy"a*cinth\, 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. ?, ?: 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]

Zircon \Zir"con\, n. [F., the same word as jargon. See Jargon a variety of zircon.]

1.(Min.) A mineral consisting predominantly of zirconium silicate (Zr2SiO4) occurring in tetragonal crystals, usually of a brown or gray color. It consists of silica and zirconia. A red variety, used as a gem, is called hyacinth. Colorless, pale-yellow or smoky-brown varieties from Ceylon are called jargon. [1913 Webster +PJC]

2.an imitation gemstone made of cubic zirconia. [PJC]

Zircon syenite, a coarse-grained syenite containing zircon crystals and often also elaeolite. It is largely developed in Southern Norway. [1913 Webster]

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