Nar·cis·sus

(när-sĭs′əs)

n. Greek Mythology

A young man who pined away in love for his own image in a pool of water and was transformed into the flower that bears his name.

nar·cis·sus

(när-sĭs′əs)

n. pl. narcissus or nar·cis·si (-sĭs′ī′, -sĭs′ē) or nar·cis·sus·es

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

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

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Narcissus

(nɑːˈsɪsəs)

(Classical Myth & Legend) Greek myth a beautiful youth who fell in love with his reflection in a pool and pined away, becoming the flower that bears his name

narcissus

(nɑːˈsɪsəs)

n, pl -cissuses or -cissi (-ˈsɪsaɪ; -ˈsɪsiː)

(Plants) any amaryllidaceous plant of the Eurasian genus Narcissus, esp N. poeticus, whose yellow, orange, or white flowers have a crown surrounded by spreading segments

[C16: via Latin from Greek nárkissos, perhaps from narkē numbness, because of narcotic properties attributed to species of the plant]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

nar•cis•sus

(nɑrˈsɪs əs)
n., pl. -cis•sus, -cis•sus•es, -cis•si (-ˈsɪs i, -ˈsɪs aɪ)

1. any bulbous plant belonging to the genus Narcissus, of the amaryllis family, having showy yellow or white flowers with a cup-shaped corona.

2. (cap.) (in Greek myth) a youth who fell in love with his own reflection in a pool: after his death he was transformed into the narcissus flower.

[1540–50; < Latin < Greek nárkissos plant name]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	narcissus - bulbous plant having erect linear leaves and showy yellow or white flowers either solitary or in clusters genus Narcissus - Old World perennial bulbous herbs daffodil, Narcissus pseudonarcissus - any of numerous varieties of Narcissus plants having showy often yellow flowers with a trumpet-shaped central crown jonquil, Narcissus jonquilla - widely cultivated ornamental plant native to southern Europe but naturalized elsewhere having fragrant yellow or white clustered flowers bulbous plant - plant growing from a bulb
	2.	Narcissus - (Greek mythology) a beautiful young man who fell in love with his own reflection Greek mythology - the mythology of the ancient Greeks

Translations

narcisNarkissos

narcis

páskalilja

narciso

narcis

Narcissus

[nɑːˈsɪsəs] N → Narciso

narcissus

[nɑːˈsɪsəs] N (narcissi or narcissuses (pl)) [nɑːˈsɪsaɪ] (Bot) → narciso m

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

narcissus

[nɑː^rˈsɪsəs] [narcissi] [nɑː^rˈsɪsaɪ] (pl) n → narcisse m

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

narcissus

pl <narcissi> (Bot) → Narzisse f

(Myth) Narcissus → Narziss m

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

Narcissus

[nɑːˈsɪsəs] n (Myth) → Narciso

narcissus

[nɑːˈsɪsəs] n (narcissi (pl)) [nɑːˈsɪsaɪ] (flower) → narciso

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

In things that are tender and unpleasing, it is good to break the ice, by some whose words are of less weight, and to reserve the more weighty voice, to come in as by chance, so that he may be asked the question upon the other's speech: as Narcissus did, relating to Claudius the marriage of Messalina and Silius.

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It is of no use asking the flowers; they only know their own old rhymes, and can tell me nothing." And she tucked up her frock, to enable her to run quicker; but the Narcissus gave her a knock on the leg, just as she was going to jump over it.

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Then it had been lovely with narcissus and violets; now golden rod had kindled its fairy torches in the corners and asters dotted it bluely.

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4-18) Apart from Demeter, lady of the golden sword and glorious fruits, she was playing with the deep-bosomed daughters of Oceanus and gathering flowers over a soft meadow, roses and crocuses and beautiful violets, irises also and hyacinths and the narcissus, which Earth made to grow at the will of Zeus and to please the Host of Many, to be a snare for the bloom-like girl -- a marvellous, radiant flower.

All we were playing in a lovely meadow, Leucippe (9) and Phaeno and Electra and Ianthe, Melita also and Iache with Rhodea and Callirhoe and Melobosis and Tyche and Ocyrhoe, fair as a flower, Chryseis, Ianeira, Acaste and Admete and Rhodope and Pluto and charming Calypso; Styx too was there and Urania and lovely Galaxaura with Pallas who rouses battles and Artemis delighting in arrows: we were playing and gathering sweet flowers in our hands, soft crocuses mingled with irises and hyacinths, and rose-blooms and lilies, marvellous to see, and the narcissus which the wide earth caused to grow yellow as a crocus.

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On the grass there are two beds of them carpeted with forget-me-nots; and in the grass, in scattered groups, are daffodils and narcissus. Down the wilder shrubbery walks foxgloves and mulleins will (I hope) shine majestic; and one cool corner, backed by a group of firs, is graced by Madonna lilies, white foxgloves, and columbines.

In a distant glade I have made a spring garden round an oak tree that stands alone in the sun--groups of crocuses, daffodils, narcissus, hyacinths, and tulips, among such flowering shrubs and trees as Pirus Malus spectabilis, floribunda, and coronaria; Prunus Juliana, Mahaleb, serotina, triloba, and Pissardi; Cydonias and Weigelias in every colour, and several kinds of Crataegus and other May lovelinesses.

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And still deeper the meaning of that story of Narcissus, who because he could not grasp the tormenting, mild image he saw in the fountain, plunged into it and was drowned.

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"Porthos, you are as vain as Narcissus; I plainly tell you so," replied Aramis.

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Why, my dear Basil, he is a Narcissus, and you-- well, of course you have an intellectual expression and all that.

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He noticed particularly in the windows nosegays of tender, white, heavily fragrant narcissus bending over their bright, green, thick long stalks.

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There is the metamorphosis and transformation of Pygmalion's inanimate sculpture into a living being, or Narcissus into a beautiful flower.

Reinvention, Intervention