English
jacinth
Jacinth comes from Latin hyacinthus ‘iris (plant)’, and goes back to Ancient Greek ὑάκινθος ‘the alpine squill’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEὑάκινθοςhuákinthos‘the alpine squill’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEhyacinthus‘iris (plant)’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500jacintus
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400jacincte
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500jacynct
- Englishearliest quotation 1611jacinth
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEὑάκινθοςhuákinthos‘the alpine squill’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEhyacinthus‘iris (plant)’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500jacintus
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400jacincte
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500jacynct
- Englishearliest quotation 1611jacinth
Earliest quotation: 1611, The Holy Bible, London: […] Robert Barker: “The fift Sardonix, the sixt Sardius, the seuenth Chrysolite,…”
Linked words
through Old French jacincte
Today it means
noun A translucent, reddish type of zircon used as a gemstone; a hyacinth.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek ὑάκινθος / jacinth