Definition

1. Noun:
   • A type of flowering plant: "asphodel" refers to any of various perennial plants belonging to the genera Asphodeline and Asphodelus, native chiefly to the Mediterranean region. They are characterized by having long, narrow (linear) leaves and tall spikes (racemes) bearing numerous white, pink, or yellow flowers.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The hills were covered in the pale blooms of the asphodel.
  • In Greek mythology, the asphodel was said to grow in the meadows of the underworld.

Advanced Usage

• Literary and Mythological Context: The asphodel is often used in poetry and classical literature as a symbol of death, the afterlife, or mournful beauty, stemming from its association with the Greek underworld.
  • The poet described the field of asphodels as a place of quiet, eternal rest.

Variants and Related Words

• Asphodeline (n): A genus within the asphodel family.
• Asphodelus (n): Another primary genus for plants commonly called asphodel.

Synonyms

• King's spear (a common name for ).
• Jacob's rod (a common name for some species).

Idioms and Phrases

• Fields of asphodel: A direct reference from Greek mythology, meaning the section of the underworld where ordinary souls resided.
  • In the epic, the hero's spirit wandered the fields of asphodel.

Noun

1. any of various chiefly Mediterranean plants of the genera Asphodeline and Asphodelus having linear leaves and racemes of white or pink or yellow flowers