forsythia

noun

for·​syth·​ia fər-ˈsi-thē-ə How to pronounce forsythia (audio)
 chiefly British  -ˈsī-
plural forsythias also forsythia
: any of a genus (Forsythia) of ornamental shrubs of the olive family with opposite leaves and yellow bell-shaped flowers appearing before the leaves in early spring

Illustration of forsythia

Illustration of forsythia

Examples of forsythia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Featuring little pops of yellow, pink, red, and purple daisies and forsythias throughout, the rest of this lively wreath is brimming with springy green eucalyptus that’s slightly ombre to create the appearance of more layers. Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Mar. 2024 The bloody conflicts cited by Francis contrasted with a riot of bright colors lent by orange-red tulips, yellow sprays of forsythia and daffodils, hyacinths and other colorful seasonal flowers that decorated St. Peter’s Square. Frances D'emilio, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2023 Flowers were arriving from across the region: White forsythias, which smelled like nectar. Emily Davies, Washington Post, 14 Feb. 2024 In the South, forsythia can bloom as early as February, or in early- to mid-April in Zone 6. Katelyn Chef, Southern Living, 9 Feb. 2024 This plant is often mistakenly identified as forsythia with similar yellow blooms on arching stems, but this plant blooms several weeks earlier than forsythia, and is a much lower growing plant. Janet Carson, Arkansas Online, 7 Mar. 2022 This branch of spring is a real interloper, a man’s arm covered in hard yellow blossoms, No. 2 yellow, like a line of forsythia in inter-winter-spring. Amanda Gokee, BostonGlobe.com, 16 May 2023 Cherry blossoms on the downtown Portland waterfront were not yet at peak bloom, but there was spring color to be found at the nearby Lan Su Chinese Garden, where winter camellias continued to show their glory, along with yellow forsythia and pink quince flowers. oregonlive, 24 Mar. 2021 Euonymus, forsythia, and roses are common victims. Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 30 Mar. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'forsythia.' 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

New Latin, from William Forsyth †1804 British botanist

First Known Use

circa 1814, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of forsythia was circa 1814

Dictionary Entries Near forsythia

Cite this Entry

“Forsythia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forsythia. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

forsythia

noun
for·​syth·​ia fər-ˈsith-ē-ə How to pronounce forsythia (audio)
plural forsythias also forsythia
: any of a genus of shrubs related to the olive and having yellow bell-shaped flowers appearing before the leaves in early spring

More from Merriam-Webster on forsythia

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