periwinkle
1
[ per-i-wing-kuh l ]
/ ˈpɛr ɪˌwɪŋ kəl /
noun
any of various marine gastropods or sea snails, especially Littorina littorea, used for food in Europe.
the shell of any of these animals.
Origin of periwinkle
1
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”
Words nearby periwinkle
perivesical,
perivisceral,
perivisceritis,
periwig,
periwig chair,
periwinkle,
perjink,
perjure,
perjured,
perjury,
perk
Definition for periwinkle (2 of 2)
periwinkle
2
[ 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
2
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
OTHER WORDS FROM periwinkle
per·i·win·kled, adjectiveExample sentences from the Web for periwinkle
British Dictionary definitions for periwinkle (1 of 2)
periwinkle
1
/ (ˈpɛrɪˌwɪŋkəl) /
noun
any of various edible marine gastropods of the genus Littorina, esp L. littorea, having a spirally coiled shell
Often shortened to: winkle
Word Origin for periwinkle
C16: of unknown origin
British Dictionary definitions for periwinkle (2 of 2)
periwinkle
2
/ (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