violet

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see also: Violet

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Pronunciation

• (RP, GA) IPA: /ˈvaɪələt/, /ˈvaɪlət/, /ˈvaɪɵ̞lɪt/

Noun

violet (plural violets)

1. A plant or flower of the genus ll mul, especially the fragrant Viola odorata; (inexact) similar-looking plants and flowers.
2. (figurative) A person thought to resemble V. odorata, especially in its beauty and delicacy.
   • 1991, Stephen Fry, The Liar, p. 19:

     ‘Tom,’ he said, ‘you are looking at a crushed violet, a spent egg, a squeezed tube.’

3. A bluish-purple colour resembling that of most V. odorata.

    

    

4. Clothes and (ecclesiastical) vestments of such a colour.
5. (perfumes) The characteristic scent of V. odorata.
6. (UK dialect) Synonym of onion#English|onion.

Synonyms

• (flower) rooster (historical US)

Related terms

• viola
• violaceous

Translations

• French: violet
• German: Violett
• Italian: viola
• Portuguese: violeta, lilás
• Russian: фиоле́товый
• Spanish: violeta

Translations

• French: violette
• German: Veilchen
• Italian: viola
• Portuguese: violeta
• Russian: фиа́лка
• Spanish: violeta

Adjective

violet (comparative violeter, superlative violetest)

1. Having a bluish-purple colour.

Translations

• French: violet
• German: violett
• Italian: viola
• Portuguese: violeta
• Russian: фиоле́товый
• Spanish: violeta

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Violet

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Proper noun

1. A female given name.
   • 1836 Marian Dora Malet Beasley, Violet Woodville, Carey, Lea & Blanchard (1836), page 16:

     It may be as well to say, by way of parenthesis, that her real name was Violante,―at least, such was the name by which her mother had her christened. But her father thought it much too long, and said it was better to call her Violet.

   • 1972 Witi Ihimaera, Pounamu, Pounamu, Heinemann, ISBN 0868636754, page 111:

     Her Pakeha name was Violet, and everybody called her that because her Maori name was too long. And my Nanny, she was just like a violet; shy and small and hiding her face in her petals if the sun blazed too strong.

   • 2009 Barbara Kingsolver, The Lacuna, Faber and Faber, ISBN 978-0-571-25263-3, page 262:

     My name is Violet Brown. - - - If I sound colorful, I am not. It's nought but a pair of names, stamped on me by two people who never met. First, my mother. She was fond of romantic novels with "Violets" in them.

Translations

• French: Violette
• Italian: Viola, Violetta
• Portuguese: Violeta
• Russian: Виолетта
• Spanish: Violeta

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