periwinkle

English

Pronunciation
  • (US, UK) IPA(key): /ˈpɛɹ.ɪˌwɪŋ.kəl/

Etymology 1

Diminutive of Middle English perwinke, from Old English perfince, perwince (compare Middle High German berwinke), from Latin pervinca (compare French pervenche, Italian pervinca), of unknown origin.

Noun

periwinkle (plural periwinkles)

  1. Any of several evergreen plants of the genus Vinca with blue or white flowers. [from 10th c.]
    • 1653, Nicholas Culpeper, The English Physician Enlarged, Folio Society 2007, p. 220:
      The Periwinkle is a great binder, staying bleeding both at mouth and nose if some of the leaves be chewed.
  2. Similar plants of genus Catharanthus.
  3. A color with bluish and purplish hues, somewhat light.
    periwinkle:  
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Adjective

periwinkle (comparative more periwinkle, superlative most periwinkle)

  1. Of pale bluish purple colour.
Translations
colour

See also

References

Etymology 2
Periwinkle emerging from its shell

From Middle English [Term?], alteration of *pinewinkle (compare English dialectal pennywinkle), from Old English pīnewincle, compound of Latin pīna (“kind of mussel”), itself from Ancient Greek πίνη (pínē), variant of πίννα (pínna, “mussel”)) and Old English wincel (“corner”) (compare dialectal Danish vinkel (“snail shell”)). More at winch and wink.

Noun

periwinkle (plural periwinkles)

  1. A mollusk of family Littorinidae.
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Further reading
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