pansy

¹

[ pan-zee ]

noun

, plural pan·sies.

1. a violet, Viola tricolor hortensis, cultivated in many varieties, having richly and variously colored flowers.
2. the flower of this plant.
3. Slang.
   1. Extremely Disparaging and Offensive. a contemptuous term used to refer to a gay man.
   2. Offensive. a weak, effeminate, and often cowardly man.

Pansy

²

[ pan-zee ]

noun

1. a female given name.

pansy

/ ˈpænzɪ /

noun

1. See wild pansy
   any violaceous garden plant that is a variety of Viola tricolor, having flowers with rounded velvety petals, white, yellow, or purple in colour See also wild pansy
2. slang.
   an effeminate or homosexual man or boy
3. 1. a strong violet colour
   2. ( as adjective )

      a pansy carpet

Word History and Origins

Origin of pansy¹

First recorded in 1490–1500, and in 1930–35 pansy fordef 3; from Middle French pensée “pansy,” literally, “thought,” noun use of feminine of past participle of penser “to think,” from Latin pēnsāre “to weigh, consider”; pensive

Word History and Origins

Origin of pansy¹

C15: from Old French pensée thought, from penser to think, from Latin pensāre

Example Sentences

When a few presumably religious kids walked out, Savage called them “pansy-assed.”

From The Daily Beast

The twist, when it comes, makes O. Henry look like a hopeless pansy.

From The Daily Beast

When the introductions were over, he went directly to the side of Pansy, to the evident and rising amazement of Tootles.

From Project Gutenberg

That confounded money-eating little flirt of a Pansy will give me the royal shake the moment she gets wise.

From Project Gutenberg

Well, Ill go down and give the invitations, said Tootles, who departed in quest of Pansy.

From Project Gutenberg

These higher flights from Tootles always moved Pansy, who had a penchant for refined romance.

From Project Gutenberg

He stopped to pick the first pansy he saw, when he left the snows, to send it to an English friend.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• mama's boy
• milksop
• pantywaist
• sissy
• wimp