LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · masculinesecond declension

hyacinthus

hyacinthus m (genitive hyacinthī)
Classical[hy.aˈkɪn.tʰʊs]Ecclesiastical[i.aˈt͡ʃin.tus]

Meaning

  1. masculineiris (plant)
  2. masculinesapphire

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativehyacinthushyacinthī
genitivehyacinthīhyacinthōrum
dativehyacinthōhyacinthīs
accusativehyacinthumhyacinthōs
ablativehyacinthōhyacinthīs
vocativehyacinthehyacinthī

Hўăcinthus or -os, i, m., = Ὑάκινθος,
I. a beautiful Spartan youth, son of Œbalus, beloved by Apollo, and accidentally killed by a blow of his quoit; from his blood sprang the flower of the same name, marked with the exclamation AI, Ov. M. 10, 162 sq.; Hyg. Fab. 272; Plin. 21, 11, 38, § 66; Serv. Verg. E. 3, 63.—Plur.: sed gladiator erat; facit hoc illos Hyacinthos, i. e. as beautiful as Hyacinthus, Juv. 6, 110.—
B. Hўăcinthĭa, ōrum, n., the festival in honor of Hyacinthus, in Sparta, Ov. M. 10, 219.—
II. Hence, hўăcinthus or -os, i, m., the hyacinth, not, however, our hyacinth, but either the blue iris or fleur-delis, Iris Germanica, Linn.; the corn-flag or gladiolus, Gladiolus communis, Linn.; or the rocket larkspur, Delphinium Ajacis, Linn.; Plin. 21, 11, 38, § 66; Verg. E. 3, 63; 6, 53; id. G. 4, 183; id. A. 11, 69; Col. poët. 10,100.—Hence,
B. Transf., f., a precious stone of the color of a hyacinth (perh. our sapphire or a dark-colored amethyst), Plin. 37, 9, 41, § 125 sq.; Vulg. Exod. 25, 4; Inscr. Orell. 2510.

Origins

From Ancient Greek ὑάκινθος (huákinthos), but ultimately from a non-Indo-European Mediterranean language.

Descendants
  • Catalanjacint
  • Englishhyacinth
  • Frenchhyacinthe
  • Frenchjacinthefrom Old French jacinte
  • Englishjacinthfrom Old French jacinte
  • GermanHyazinthe
  • GermanHyacinthe
  • GermanHyacinthus
  • Italiangiacinto
  • Spanishjacinto

In English words that came into English from hyacinthus

  • jacinthjacintus

Quick answers

What does hyacinthus mean in Latin?
hyacinthus, a noun, means “iris (plant); sapphire”.
What is the genitive of hyacinthus?
The genitive singular is hyacinthī. hyacinthus is masculine, second declension.
How do you pronounce hyacinthus?
In classical Latin, [hy.aˈkɪn.tʰʊs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [i.aˈt͡ʃin.tus].