violet

Meaning

Noun

1. A plant or flower of the genus Viola, especially the fragrant Viola odorata; (inexact) similar-looking plants and flowers.
2. (figuratively) A person thought to resemble V. odorata, especially in its beauty and delicacy.
3. The color of most violets; the colour evoked by the shortest visible wavelengths between 380 and 435 nm, an additive tertiary colour.
4. Clothes and (ecclesiastical) vestments of such a colour.
5. The characteristic scent of V. odorata.
6. (UK, dialectal) Synonym of onion (“vegetable”).

Adj

Of a violet colour.

Synonyms

purple

lilac

mauve

magenta

viola

purplish

purpure

pansy

reddish blue

purplish-blue color

crimson

violetta

heartsease

lavender

livid

red

violaceous

violin

🎻

pale purple

purplish-blue

Translations

violeta

viola

violet

violette

violeta

violet

violetta

Veilchen

violett

violeta

paars

Violett

viooltje

lilás

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈvaɪələt/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: violet

Cognate with Lithuanian: violetinė

Cognate with Spanish: violeta

In summary

Etymology tree
Latin viola
Old French -ette
Old French violettebor.
Middle English violet
English violet
Inherited from Middle English violet, vyolet, vyolette, from Old French violette, from Latin viola (“violet”). Cognate with Lithuanian violetinė (“purple, violet”) and Spanish violeta (“purple, violet”). Doublet of viola.