Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A daffodil, especially one with small flowers having a short, cup-shaped corona.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A plant of the genus Narcissus. See cut under cyathiform.
  • noun A genus of monocotyledonous plants of the order Amaryllidaceæ and the tribe Amarylleæ, known by its undivided cup-shaped corona.
  • noun In heraldry, a flower composed of six petals, or a sort of hexafoil or architectural ornament of six lobes, used as a bearing.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Bot.) A genus of endogenous bulbous plants with handsome flowers, having a cup-shaped crown within the six-lobed perianth, and comprising the daffodils and jonquils of several kinds.
  • noun (Classical Myth.) A beautiful youth fabled to have been enamored of his own image as seen in a fountain, and to have been changed into the flower called Narcissus.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Any of several bulbous flowering plants, of the genus Narcissus, having white or yellow cup- or trumpet-shaped flowers, notably the daffodil
  • noun A beautiful young man, like the mythological Greek Narcissus

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun (Greek mythology) a beautiful young man who fell in love with his own reflection
  • noun bulbous plant having erect linear leaves and showy yellow or white flowers either solitary or in clusters

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Latin, from Greek narkissos (influenced by narkē, numbness, from its narcotic properties).]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Latin, from Ancient Greek ναρκίσσος (narkissos).

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Examples

  • "Do you mean that the narcissus is a relation of yours?" asked the tulip, still looking skyward.

    Flower Stories 1903

  • The narcissus is the eye; the feeble stem of that plant bends languidly under its dower, and thus recalls to mind the languor of the eyes.

    The Book of The Thousand Nights And A Night 2006

  • "What a dear little girl," said the quiet poet's narcissus from the corner.

    Flower Stories 1903

  • The narcissus are the promise of spring…we, yes we, in North Florida have a chance of SNOW at the end of the week…just depends on what the winds do……if so, you will hear a shriek of excitement all the way to Fairegardens!

    Starting Anew « Fairegarden 2010

  • But somehow -- I don't know how it is but when Anne and them are together, though she ain't half as handsome, she makes them look kind of common and overdone -- something like them white June lilies she calls narcissus alongside of the big, red peonies, that's what. "

    Anne of Green Gables 1908

  • The narcissus is the eye; the feeble stem of that plant bends languidly under its dower, and thus recalls to mind the languor of the eyes.

    Arabian nights. English Anonymous 1855

  • Mendenhall (aka narcissus) has overdosed and still has followers.

    unknown title 2009

  • And yes, you could totally wear it yourself - it's not really that sweet a perfume; like many Spring flowers such as narcissus, there is a greennness to the fragrance that sometimes even eclipses any sweetness they may have.

    Perfume Review: Christian Dior Diorissimo Marina Geigert 2008

  • She would certainly have betrayed that this was not the kind of narcissus she wanted, but for the Fairy Melinette, who had been anxiously watching the interview, and now thought it quite time to interfere.

    The Green Fairy Book 2003

  • They may be considered in two classes: -- the forcing bulbs, such as narcissus and freesia, and those given natural conditions of growth in pots, such as amaryllis or callas.

    Gardening Indoors and Under Glass A Practical Guide to the Planting, Care and Propagation of House Plants, and to the Construction and Management of Hotbed, Coldframe and Small Greenhouse 1930

Comments

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  • A spring-blooming flower named for a character of greek mythology of the same name. He was obsessed with his own beauty, stared at a reflection of his face all day and all night. He wasted away and eventually died.

    The nymph Echo was in love with him.

    February 17, 2008

  • I thought that he gazed at his face in the reflection of a lake, and eventually fell in and drowned.

    July 28, 2009

  • I wasn't there.

    July 28, 2009

  • Too bad...it really was a sorry sight.

    July 28, 2009

  • 's not on YouTube?

    July 28, 2009

  • I'm not sure...

    July 28, 2009