violet

¹ American  

[vahy-uh-lit] / ˈvaɪ ə lɪt /

noun

1. any chiefly low, stemless or leafy-stemmed plant of the genus Viola, having purple, blue, yellow, white, or variegated flowers.

2. any such plant except the pansy and the viola.

3. the flower of any native, wild species of violet, as distinguished from the pansy: the state flower of Illinois, New Jersey, and Rhode Island.

4. any of various similar plants of other genera.

5. reddish-blue, a color at the opposite end of the visible spectrum from red, an effect of light with a wavelength between 400 and 450 nanometers.

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adjective

1. of the color violet; reddish-blue.

   violet hats.

Violet ² American  

[vahy-uh-lit] / ˈvaɪ ə lɪt /

Also Violette

noun

1. a female given name.

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violet British  

/ ˈvaɪəlɪt /

noun

1. any of various temperate perennial herbaceous plants of the violaceous genus Viola, such as V. odorata ( sweet (or garden ) violet ), typically having mauve or bluish flowers with irregular showy petals

2. any other plant of the genus Viola, such as the wild pansy

3. any of various similar but unrelated plants, such as the African violet

4. 1. any of a group of colours that vary in saturation but have the same purplish-blue hue. They lie at one end of the visible spectrum, next to blue; approximate wavelength range 445–390 nanometres

   2. ( as adjective )

      a violet dress

5. a dye or pigment of or producing these colours

6. violet clothing

   dressed in violet

7. informal  a shy person

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violet Idioms  

1. see shrinking violet.

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Usage

violet flower A violet is a flower known for its vibrant bluish-purple color (the basis of the name of the color violet).The name violet can refer to any flower in the genus Viola, some of which are other colors (including blue, yellow, and white) or are variegated. The most well-known variety is called the common blue violet. The violet family contains many different species of plants, including trees and shrubs.The violet is the state flower of Illinois, New Jersey, Wisconsin, and Rhode Island. It’s also one of the February birth flowers (a flower that’s associated with a particular month in the same way as a birthstone).Violets are often said to represent modesty. The idiom shrinking violet refers to someone who is shy or (overly) modest.Example: For my birthday, my wife always gives me a bouquet of beautiful violets.

Other Word Forms

• violet-like adjective

Etymology

Origin of violet

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Old French violete, equivalent to viole (from Latin viola violet) + -ete diminutive suffix; -et

Example Sentences

All three sections brim with short essays on various plant species such as rose, clover, iris, violet, daisy and lily of the valley, which Dior fashioned into silhouettes and blossoming decorative surfaces.

From The Wall Street Journal

But Rachel is no shrinking violet, holding her own against lowlifes and schemers while navigating the movie’s unexpected turns, shocking violence and wrenching tension.

From Los Angeles Times

One example: A White House Valentine’s Day communication that said “Roses are red, violets are blue, come here illegally, and we’ll deport you.”

From Salon

Plantlife's annual survey found hundreds of new sites for pink waxcap and violet coral across the country, with North Yorkshire emerging as a "hotspot" for the fungi, the charity said.

From BBC

Bright green coyote mint adds more fragrance and color with its violet puffs of flowers.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• color
• lavender
• lilac
• mauve
• periwinkle
• plum