daffodil English · revision 2355

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈdæfəˌdɪl/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a variant of obsolete ''affodill'',^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) [[der|la-med|affodillus]],^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) [[der|la|asphodelus]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) [[der|grc|ἀσφόδελος|tr=asphódelos|t=asphodel]],^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) of unknown origin.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) The initial ''d-'' is unexplained;^(Barnhart 1995)^(RHWU) it may come from Dutch ''de affodil'' “the asphodel”, the Netherlands being a source of bulbs.^(MW Collegiate)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The asphodel (1538).^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) Merriam-Webster and Barnhart date the word to 1548.^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The name was transferred from the asphodel to plants of the genus ''Narcissus'' (1548),^(OED 1989) and then narrowed to the wild yellow ''Narcissus pseudonarcissus'', also called the Lent lily (1562).^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) The word has many fanciful variants, such as ''daffadowndilly''.^(Etymonline) From the flower it also names a pale or brilliant yellow (1855).^(OED 1989)^(AHD)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c1400 – ''affodill'', the asphodel.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1538 – ''daffodil'', the asphodel.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1548 – the genus ''Narcissus''.^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1562 – the yellow ''Narcissus pseudonarcissus''.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1855 – a pale yellow colour.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A bulbous plant, ''Narcissus pseudonarcissus'', with showy yellow flowers that have a trumpet-shaped central crown; also its flower.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Any plant of the genus ''Narcissus''.^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+ # A brilliant or clear yellow.^(AHD)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[asphodel]]

+ * [[narcissus]]

+ * [[jonquil]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}