cyclamen

noun

cy·​cla·​men ˈsī-klə-mən How to pronounce cyclamen (audio)
ˈsi-
: any of a genus (Cyclamen) of Old World plants of the primrose family having showy nodding flowers

Examples of cyclamen in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Constance Spry, the doyenne of British floristry, shared her favorite Christmas arrangement with the magazine: green moss spread over wire netting, then studded with cyclamens and ivy. Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 23 Dec. 2023 Add a pop of color to those dreary winter days with a cyclamen plant in your home. Mariah Thomas, Good Housekeeping, 31 Jan. 2023 Persian violet is actually a cyclamen (Cyclamen coum) that can begin flowering as early as December, but usually produces its best show in February and early March. Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Dec. 2022 Flowering plants such as azalea, kalanchoe, cyclamen and amaryllis are good gifts to give during the winter. Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 4 Dec. 2022 Most will stay on the small side, but cyclamen can eventually grow to just over a foot tall. Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Aug. 2022 This musky, floral and clean scent combines bergamot, jasmine, neroli, orange flower and cyclamen with sandalwood, blonde wood and white musk. Kristin Corpuz, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 June 2022 Purple anemones, red poppies, pink cyclamen, yellow and orange daisies. Washington Post, 22 Apr. 2022 The cyclamen foliage has been unaffected by the cold, and even the blooms have escaped damage when they were covered by a layer of N-sulate fabric. Calvin Finch, San Antonio Express-News, 14 Jan. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cyclamen.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin, genus name, going back to Medieval Latin ciclamin-, ciclamen, going back to Latin cyclamīnos, cyclamīnum, borrowed from Greek kyklámīnos, probably from kýklos "circle, wheel" + -aminos (as in sēsáminos "made of sesame," from sēsamê sesame + -inos, suffix of materials); so named from the round tuber of Cyclamen graecum — more at wheel entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1550, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cyclamen was circa 1550

Dictionary Entries Near cyclamen

Cite this Entry

“Cyclamen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cyclamen. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cyclamen

noun
cy·​cla·​men ˈsī-klə-mən How to pronounce cyclamen (audio)
ˈsik-lə-
: any of a genus of plants related to the primroses and often grown in pots for their showy nodding flowers

More from Merriam-Webster on cyclamen

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