narcissus
narcissus Lexical Profile
narcissus Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A spring-flowering bulbous plant native to Eurasia, characterized by solitary or clustered flowers with a prominent, trumpet-shaped central corona surrounded by a ring of petals.
"She planted several narcissus bulbs along the garden path in late autumn so they would bloom beautifully in early spring."
(Greek Mythology) A beautiful young hunter from Thespiae who rejected all romantic advances and ultimately fell deeply in love with his own reflection in a pool of water, wasting away staring at it until he transformed into a flower.
"The tragic myth of Narcissus serves as a foundational cultural allegory for the destructive nature of supreme vanity and self-obsession."
Word Nuance & Usage
The word is capitalized when referring to the Greek mythological figure, but typically lowercase when referring to the plant. Its plural can be either 'narcissi' or 'narcissuses'.
• Rhymes for narcissus
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Latin 'narcissus', derived from Greek 'Narkissos'. The name is traditionally linked to the Greek 'narkē' (numbness, stupor), referring to the plant's narcotic properties, or to the mythological youth who fell in love with his own reflection.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.