from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
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}.
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2. (Min.) A red variety of zircon, sometimes used as a gem.
See {Zircon}.
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{Hyacinth bean} (Bot.), a climbing leguminous plant
({Dolichos Lablab}), related to the true bean. It has dark
purple flowers and fruit.
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