ὑακίνθινος

hyakínthinos

G5191 attributive adjective

SILEX Entry

Definition

Made of hyacinth, pertaining to hyacinth (a precious stone or a plant known for its deep blue or violet hue); describes a substance or object exhibiting the deep blue-violet color characteristic of the hyacinth. In extended uses, refers to materials, fabrics, or items colored (or perceived as colored) in the blue-violet range (often associated with prestige or ceremonial use).

Semantic Range

made of hyacinth, colored blue-violet, hyacinth-colored, pertaining to the deep blue or violet of the hyacinth flower or gem

Root / Etymology

Derived from ὑάκινθος (hyakinthos), which refers both to a type of precious stone (likely the blue zircon or a similarly colored gem) and the hyacinth flower, notable for its deep blue or violet coloration.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, ὑάκινθος denoted both a blue-violet flower (the hyacinth) and a precious stone of similar color (variously identified in antiquity, but likely a blue or violet gem such as blue zircon rather than the modern red-orange jacinth). The adjective ὑακίνθινος appears infrequently in extant literature and is used in Revelation 9:17 to describe the color of breastplates: 'breastplates the color of fire and hyacinth and brimstone,' signifying deep blue-violet. In Hellenistic and Roman contexts, blue and purple hues were often associated with luxury, status, and the ceremonial sphere. English translations sometimes use 'jacinth' or 'hyacinthine,' but these may be misleading, as the stone 'jacinth' is now understood to refer to an orange-red variety, inconsistent with the ancient color reference. In the Septuagint and extra-biblical Greek, references to blue-violet colors (including ὑακίνθινος, ὑάκινθος, or ἰάκινθος) often appear in contexts of precious stones, dyes, or ceremonial ornamentation. The word does not carry religious connotation but may imply prestige due to the color's rarity and association with costly materials. Contrast with πορφυροῦς (purplish), κυάνεος (dark blue), and ἰός (violet).

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from ὑάκινθος; "hyacinthine" or "jacinthine", i.e. deep blue:--jacinth.

Root Family

ὑακινθ- (hyakínthinos) — hyacinth, blue-violet color, hyacinthine stone

Root ὑακινθ- hyacinth, blue-violet color, hyacinthine stone

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G5191-01 ὑακινθίνους uakinthinous ADJ.A ACC M PL hyacinth hyacinth-colored hyacinth-colored 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G5191-01 Revelation 9:17 ὑακινθίνους uakinthinous ADJ.A ACC M PL hyacinth hyacinth-colored hyacinth-colored