violet

Meaning

Noun

1. A plant or flower of the genus Viola, especially the fragrant Viola odorata; (inexact) similar-looking plants and flowers.
2. 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. Synonym of onion.

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

Hyphenated as

vi‧o‧let

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈvaɪələt/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: violet

Cognate with Lithuanian: violetinė

Cognate with Spanish: violeta

In summary

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”).