Dictionary
Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.
periwinkle en · ADJ · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- (Southern-England) audio
- /ˈpɛɹ.ɪˌwɪŋ.kəl/ (UK, US)
Etymology
Diminutive of Middle English perwinke, from Old English perfince, perwince (compare Middle High German berwinke), from Latin pervinca (compare French pervenche, Italian pervinca).
Meanings
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Of pale bluish purple colour.
Forms
Relateds
vinblastine · vincristine
Translations (4)
it pervinca (colour) · pl barwinkowy (colour) · hu babakék (colour) · io pervinkea (colour)
periwinkle en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- (Southern-England) audio
- /ˈpɛɹ.ɪˌwɪŋ.kəl/ (UK, US)
Etymology
Diminutive of Middle English perwinke, from Old English perfince, perwince (compare Middle High German berwinke), from Latin pervinca (compare French pervenche, Italian pervinca).
Meanings
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Any of several evergreen plants of the genus Vinca with blue or white flowers.
Among herbs that have traditionally been considered to possess aphrodisiac virtue are, maidenhair, navelwort, anemone, wild poppy, valerian, cyclamen, male fern, pansy, periwinkle.
1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs, New York: The Citadel Press, page 115:He that vvould diſcern the rudimentall ſtroak of a plant, may behold it in the Originall of Duckvveed, at the bigneſſe of a pins point, from convenient vvater in glaſſes, vvherein a vvatchfull eye may alſo diſcover the puncticular Originals of Perivvincles and Gnats.
1658, Thomas Browne, “The Garden of Cyrus. […]. Chapter III.”, in Hydriotaphia, Urne-buriall, […] Together with The Garden of Cyrus, […], London: […] Hen[ry] Brome […], →OCLC, page 137:The Periwinkle is a great binder, staying bleeding both at mouth and nose if some of the leaves be chewed.
1652, Nich[olas] Culpeper, The English Physitian: Or An Astrologo-physical Discourse of the Vulgar Herbs of This Nation. […], London: […] Peter Cole, […], →OCLC:
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Similar plants of genus Catharanthus.
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A color with bluish and purplish hues, somewhat light.
And although we’ve certainly seen a variety of blue shades — from periwinkle to cobalt and even Dean Cain’s indigo-washed costume from the 1990’s TV show “Lois & Clark” — Superman’s uniform is still instantly recognizable across generations. In fact, there is only one film — Zack Snyder’s 2013 “Man of Steel” — in which Superman does not wear his iconic red belted trunks.
2025 February 21, Leah Dolan, “How the Superman ‘S’ became fashion’s favorite logo”, in CNN:
Forms
Deriveds
greater periwinkle · bigleaf periwinkle · blue periwinkle · common periwinkle · large periwinkle · periwinkled · herbaceous periwinkle · rosy periwinkle · Madagascar periwinkle · periwinkling · rose periwinkle · periwinkler
Synonyms
creeping myrtle (Vinca) · myrtle (Vinca) · vinca (Vinca)
Translations (44)
de Immergrün (plant) · hu meténg (plant) · tr Cezayir menekşesi (plant) · ja ツルニチニチソウ (plant) · it pervinca (plant) · pl kolor barwinkowy (colour) · kk қабыршөп (plant) · cs barvínek (plant) · fi talvio (plant) · ga fincín (plant) · cmn 蔓長春花 /蔓长春花 (plant) · la pervinca (plant) · ro pervincă (plant) · ka გველის სურო (plant) · nrf pèrvenche (plant) · de Singrün (plant) · it pervinca (colour) · eo vinko (plant) · cy perfagl (plant) · ja ニチニチソウ (plant) · fr pervenche (plant) · nrf bliuette (plant) · pt pervinca (plant) · ru барви́нок (plant) · ca vinca (plant) · vi dừa cạn (plant) · sl zimzelen (plant) · pl barwinek (plant) · be барве́нак (plant) · gl cangroia (plant) · ro saschiu (plant) · ca pervinca (plant) · grc χαμαιδάφνη (plant) · ga bláth na faochan (plant) · sh зи̏мзеле̄н (plant) · io pervinko (plant) · hu babakék (colour) · he וינקה (plant) · cs brčál (plant) · fr pervenche (colour) · uk барві́нок (plant) · sh zȉmzelēn (plant) · bg зимзелен (plant) · es vinca (plant)
periwinkle en · NOUN · etymology 2
Pronunciation
- (Southern-England) audio
- /ˈpɛɹ.ɪˌwɪŋ.kəl/ (UK, US)
Etymology
From Middle English [Term?], alteration of *pinewinkle (compare English dialectal pennywinkle), from Old English pīnewincle, compound of Latin pīna (“kind of mussel”), itself from Ancient Greek πίνη (pínē), variant of πίννα (pínna, “mussel”)) and Old English wincel (“corner”) (compare dialectal Danish vinkel (“snail shell”)). More at winch and wink.
Meanings
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A mollusk of family Littorinidae.
He was working a pin into a periwinkle shell, turning it to extract the toothsome morsel of meat.
2022, Paul McAuley, Beyond the Burn Line, Gollancz, page 217:
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(qualifier:Pacific Northwest US) A caddisfly larva.
Forms
Deriveds
checkered periwinkle · rough periwinkle · common periwinkle · flat periwinkle · giant periwinkle
Synonyms
winkle (mollusk)
Translations (34)
gl mincha (mollusc) · es bígaro (mollusc) · cmn 濱螺 /滨螺 (mollusc) · ja タマキビガイ (mollusc) · nrf v'licot (mollusc) · ast mincha (mollusc) · ro litorină (mollusc) · mi mātangata (mollusc) · ga gioradán (mollusc) · ga faocha (mollusc) · pl pobrzeżka (mollusc) · de Uferschnecke (mollusc) · es bigarro (mollusc) · mi mākerekere (mollusc) · fi rantakotilo (mollusc) · gl bígaro (mollusc) · ru литори́на (mollusc) · fr vignot (mollusc) · it littorale (mollusc) · mi matatangata (mollusc) · ast bígaru (mollusc) · br bigorn (mollusc) · ga miongán (mollusc) · mi ngaeti (mollusc) · it litorina (mollusc) · fr vigneau (mollusc) · wyi pid-de-ron (mollusc) · cs plážovka (mollusc) · gl caramuxo (mollusc) · hu meténg (mollusc) · nl alikruik (mollusc) · mi ataata (mollusc) · pt litorina (mollusc) · fr bigorneau (mollusc)