A*do"nis (#), n. [L., gr. Gr. .]

1. Gr. Myth.

A youth beloved by Venus for his beauty. He was killed in the chase by a wild boar.

2.

A preeminently beautiful young man; a dandy.

3. Bot.

A genus of plants of the family Ranunculaceae, containing the pheasaut's eye (Adonis autumnalis); -- named from Adonis, whose blood was fabled to have stained the flower.

 

© Webster 1913.