periwinkle

[ per-i-wing-kuh l ]

/ ˈpɛr ɪˌwɪŋ kəl /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR periwinkle ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

any of various marine gastropods or sea snails, especially Littorina littorea, used for food in Europe.

the shell of any of these animals.

Nearby words

perivesical, perivisceral, perivisceritis, periwig, periwig chair, periwinkle, perjink, perjure, perjured, perjury, perk

Origin of periwinkle

1520–30; perhaps reflecting (through assimilation to periwinkle²) Old English pīnewincle, equivalent to pīne (from Latin pīna from Greek pínē,pîna, a kind of mollusk) + -wincel “shellfish” (occurring only in compounds), cognate with dialectal Danish vinkel “snail shell”

Definition for periwinkle (2 of 2)

periwinkle

[ per-i-wing-kuh l ]

/ ˈpɛr ɪˌwɪŋ kəl /

noun

Also called myrtle. a trailing plant, Vinca minor, of the dogbane family, having glossy, evergreen foliage and usually blue-violet flowers.

any of several similar plants of the genus Vinca or Catharanthus.

a blue-violet color.

Origin of periwinkle

before 1000; earlier pervinkle, perwinkle, alteration (see -le) of Middle English perwinke, pervinke, from Anglo-French pervenke (Old French pervenche,) from Late Latin pervinca, Latin vi(n)capervi(n)ca; compare Old English peruince, Middle High German ber(e)winke from Late Latin pervinca

Related forms

per·i·win·kled, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for periwinkle

“I am early friendship,” said the Periwinkle, pensively, as she came and stood before Rusialka.
The Dumpy Books for Children;|Eden Coybee
"Come home, Henrietta," said Periwinkle, and she marched Henrietta out the door under the very eyes of the schoolmistress.
Duffels|Edward Eggleston
Periwinkle was ever a strayer, and Periwinkle's dam was bleating at the edge of the steep cliff up which the stranger toiled.
A Book of Quaker Saints|Lucy Violet Hodgkin
She dipped a periwinkle in one of the weird cups, and held it towards me.
The Further Adventures of O'Neill in Holland|J. Irwin Brown

The terrace was overgrown with ivy and periwinkle, and some ancient rose trees were still living and blooming.
Francezka|Molly Elliot Seawell

British Dictionary definitions for periwinkle (1 of 2)

periwinkle

/ (ˈpɛrɪˌwɪŋkəl) /

noun

any of various edible marine gastropods of the genus Littorina, esp L. littorea, having a spirally coiled shellOften shortened to: winkle

Word Origin for periwinkle

C16: of unknown origin

British Dictionary definitions for periwinkle (2 of 2)

periwinkle

/ (ˈpɛrɪˌwɪŋkəl) /

noun

Also called (US): creeping myrtle, trailing myrtle any of several Eurasian apocynaceous evergreen plants of the genus Vinca, such as V. minor (lesser periwinkle) and V. major (greater periwinkle), having trailing stems and blue flowers

a light purplish-blue colour
(as adjective)a periwinkle coat

Word Origin for periwinkle

C14 pervenke, from Old English perwince, from Late Latin pervinca

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012