[hy.a.cinth] n [L hyacinthus, a precious stone, a flowering plant, fr. Gk hyakinthos] (1553) 1 a: a precious stone of the ancients sometimes held to be the sapphire b: a gem zircon or essonite
2. a: a plant of the ancients held to be a lily, iris, larkspur, or gladiolus b: a bulbous herb (Hyacinthus orientalis) of the lily family that is native to the Mediterranean region but is widely grown for its dense spikes of fragrant flowers--compare grape hyacinth, water hyacinth
3: a light violet to moderate purple -- hy.a.cin.thine adj