African violet

noun

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

Origin of African violet

First recorded in 1940–45

British Dictionary definitions for african violet

African violet

noun

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