African violet

noun

1. a popular house plant, Saintpaulia ionantha, of the gesneriad family, having hairy leaves and showy violet, pink, or white flowers.

African violet

noun

1. any of several tropical African plants of the genus Saintpaulia, esp S. ionantha, cultivated as house plants, with violet, white, or pink flowers and hairy leaves: family Gesneriaceae

Word History and Origins

Origin of African violet¹

First recorded in 1940–45