Forms: 3–7 iacinct(e, 4 iacynkt(e, -synkt, -cintt, 4–6 iacynct, iacynt(e, 4–7 iacynth, 6 iassink, 6–7 iacinth(e, iacint, (7–8 jacent, -int), 7– jacinth. See also HYACINTH, and JACOUNCE. [ME. iacynt, iacinct, a. OF. iacinte or late L. iacint(h)us, -inctus, an alteration of hiacint(h)us, L. hyacinthus, a. Gr. ὑάκινθος HYACINTH; the h being lost and the initial i made consonantal; cf. mod.F. jacinthe, Pr. jiacint, Sp. jacinto, It. giacinto and iacinto.]
1. a. Among the ancients, a gem of a blue color, prob. sapphire. b. In mod. use, a reddish-orange gem, a variety of zircon; also applied to varieties of topaz and garnet. (= HYACINTH 1.)
c. 1230. Hali Meid., 43. & tah is betere a briht iacinct þen a charbucle won.
1382. Wyclif, Song Sol. v. 14. Goldene, and ful of iacynctis.
1535. Coverdale, Ezek. xxviii. 13. Deckte with all maner of precious stones, with Ruby, Topas, Christall, Iacynte.
1555. Eden, Decades, 236. Iacinthes growe in the Ilande of Zerlam. They are tender stones and yelowe.
1567. Maplet, Gr. Forest, 11. The Iacinct is blew, and of nigh neighborhoode with the Saphire.
1630. Drayton, Muses Elizium, ix. 78 (R.).
| The yellow Iacynth, strengthning Sense, | |
| Of which who hath the keeping, | |
| No Thunder hurts nor Pestilence. |
1762–71. H. Walpole, Vertue’s Anecd. Paint. (1786), I. 154. The dagger, in her grace’s collection, is set with jacynths.
1861. C. W. King, Ant. Gems (1866), 22. The greater part … of what are now termed Jacinths are only Cinnamon Stones of a reddish kind of Garnet.
† c. (In Wyclif’s Bible, rendering L. hyacinthus): A dyed fabric of a blue or purple color. Obs.
1382. Wyclif, Exod. xxv. 4. Iasynkt that is silk of violet blew. Ibid., xxviii. 15. The breest broche … thou shalt make with werk of dyuerse colours, after the weuyng of the coope, of gold, iacynkt [1388 iacynt], and purpur.
d. The color of the gem (see b above); in Her. name for the color tenné, in blazoning by precious stones (= HYACINTH 1 c).
1572. J. Jones, Bathes Buckstone, 11 b. If it [the urine] be higher, then ambre or betwene it and iacincte, yellowish or chollerique red.
1572. Bossewell, Armorie, II. 66. The fielde is of the Iacinthe.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, I. ii. 12/2.
† 2. A plant; = HYACINTH 2 (a and b). Obs.
[1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVI. liii. An herbe of þe same name is liche þerto [the stone Iacinctus] in coloure.]
1567. Maplet, Gr. Forest, 47. Iacinct is an Herbe hauing a purple flowre.
1597. Gerarde, Herbal, I. lxxvii. (1633), 106. The white-floured starry Iacinth.
1629. Parkinson, Paradisi, xi. 122. Our English Iacinth or Hares-bels is so common everywhere.
1727. Philip Quarll, 244. Junquils, Tuberoses, Jacents, and other delightful Flowers.
1760. J. Lee, Introd. Bot., App. 305. Jacinth, Hyacinthus.
3. attrib. and Comb. (in senses 1 and 2).
1526. Tindale, Rev. ix. 17. Havynge fyry habbergions of a Iacynct coloure.
a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia, I. Wks. 1725, I. 20. Her forehead Jacinth-like, her cheeks of Opal hue. Ibid., 107. The excellently fair queen Helen, whose jacinth-hair curled by nature … had a rope of fair pearl.
1591. Percivall, Sp. Dict., Iacinto, a iacint stone, a iacint flower.
1811. Pinkerton, Petral., II. 129. Consisting of quartz and of jacint, so that it may be called jacint rock.
1842. Tennyson, Morte d’A., 57. Myriads of topaz-lights, and jacinth-work.
