Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Periwinkle
Per′i-winˊkle
,Noun.
[From AS.
pinewincla
a shellfish, in which pine-
is fr. L. pina
, pinna
, a kind of mussel, akin to Gr. [GREEK]. Cf. Winkle
.] (Zool.)
Any small marine gastropod shell of the genus
Littorina
. The common European species (Littorina littorea
), in Europe extensively used as food, has recently become naturalized abundantly on the American coast. See Littorina
. ☞ In America the name is often applied to several large univalves, as
Fulgur carica
, and Fulgur canaliculata
. Per′i-winˊkle
,Noun.
[OE.
pervenke
, AS. pervince
, fr. L. pervinca
.] (Bot.)
A trailing herb of the genus
Vinca
. ☞ The common perwinkle (
Vinca minor
) has opposite evergreen leaves and solitary blue or white flowers in their axils. In America it is often miscalled myrtle
. See under Myrtle
. Webster 1828 Edition
Periwinkle
PER'IWINKLE
,Noun.
1.
A sea snail, or small shell fish.2.
A plant of the genus Vinca.Definition 2024
periwinkle
periwinkle
English
Noun
periwinkle (plural periwinkles)
- 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 is some of the leaves be chewed.
- 1653, Nicholas Culpeper, The English Physician Enlarged, Folio Society 2007, p. 220:
- A color with bluish and purplish hues, somewhat light.
-
periwinkle colour:
-
Quotations
- For usage examples of this term, see Citations:periwinkle.
Synonyms
Translations
plant
|
Adjective
periwinkle (comparative more periwinkle, superlative most periwinkle)
- Of pale bluish purple colour.
Derived terms
- Madagascar periwinkle
- rose periwinkle
- rosy periwinkle
Translations
See also
-
Periwinkle (color) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
- vinblastine
- vincristine
- Appendix:Colors
Etymology 2
Periwinkle emerging from its shell
Middle English, alteration of *pinewinkle (compare English dialectal pennywinkle), from Old English pīnewincle, compound of Latin pīna 'kind of mussel', itself from Ancient Greek pîna, variant of pínna 'mussel') and -wincle (compare Danish dial. vinkel 'snail shell'), from wincel 'corner'. More at winch and wink.
Noun
periwinkle (plural periwinkles)
Synonyms
- (mollusk): winkle
Translations
mollusc
See also
- Periwinkle (mollusc) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
Etymology
Diminutive of Middle English perwinke, from Old English perfince, perwince (compare Middle High German berwinke), from Latin (vinca) pervinca (compare French pervenche, Italian pervinca), of unknown origin.
Pronunciation
