pimpernel

American  

[pim-per-nel, -nl] / ˈpɪm pərˌnɛl, -nl /

noun

1. a plant belonging to the genus Anagallis, of the primrose family, especially A. arvensis scarlet pimpernel, having scarlet or white flowers that close at the approach of bad weather.

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pimpernel British  

/ ˈpɪmpəˌnɛl, -nəl /

noun

1. any of several plants of the primulaceous genus Anagallis, such as the scarlet pimpernel, typically having small star-shaped flowers

2. any of several similar and related plants, such as Lysimachia nemorum ( yellow pimpernel )

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Etymology

Origin of pimpernel

1400–50; late Middle English pympernele < Middle French pimprenelle, nasalized variant of Old French piprenelle < Late Latin *piperīnella, equivalent to piper pepper + -īn- -ine ¹ + -ella diminutive suffix; replacing Old English pipeneale < Late Latin pipīnella, syncopated variant of *piperīnella

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pimpernel

Her hands shielded from the gusts of February air by a well-worn pair of gardening gloves, Rachel carefully places tree spinach and scarlet pimpernel seeds into brown plastic pots.

From BBC ● Mar. 15, 2020

Libya is prominent in the papers today of course, although there is something of a "Does anyone know what's going on?" and "Where is the Tripoli pimpernel anyway?" flavour to it.

From The Guardian ● Aug. 28, 2011

Peter K. Grimes had neither the cloak, the dagger nor the devil-may-care air of a scarlet pimpernel.

From Time Magazine Archive

A scarlet pimpernel is not, as U. S. cinemaddicts may suppose, either a childhood disease or a disgraceful occupation.

From Time Magazine Archive

The earth was soft and crumbling, with a scattering of the weeds that are found in cultivated fields—fumitory, charlock, pimpernel and mayweed, all growing in the green gloom under the bean leaves.

From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams

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