violet

noun

vi·​o·​let ˈvī-(ə-)lət How to pronounce violet (audio)
1
a
: any of a genus (Viola of the family Violaceae, the violet family) of chiefly herbs with alternate stipulate leaves and showy flowers in spring and often cleistogamous flowers in summer
especially : one with smaller usually solid-colored flowers as distinguished from the usually larger-flowered violas and pansies
b
: any of several plants of genera other than that of the violet compare dogtooth violet
2
: any of a group of colors of reddish-blue hue, low lightness, and medium saturation

Illustration of violet

Illustration of violet
  • violet 1a

Examples of violet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Colors with shorter wavelengths, such as blues and violets, scatter more easily than colors with longer wavelengths, which include red and orange. The Indianapolis Star, 6 Mar. 2024 Notable blooms include the spring ephemerals — trillium, lady slipper orchids, crested dwarf iris, columbine, bleeding heart, and violets, to name a few — and the summer arrival of red cardinal flowers, purple-fringed orchids, and black-eyed Susans. Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 5 Mar. 2024 Lovely aromas of cranberry, black cherry, red plum and violets. Tom Hyland, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 Ochre is a naturally occurring earth pigment that can be pale yellow, red, brown, and violet. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 21 Feb. 2024 Roses are red, violets are blue — drive down a county road, and there might be a Lovers Lane near you. Eva Wen, Journal Sentinel, 14 Feb. 2024 Roses are red, violets are blue, two new movies will open in theaters on Valentine’s Day, but neither is expected to break through. Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 13 Feb. 2024 Feed them every two to three months with a 20-20-20 houseplant fertilizer (or one specially formulated for African violets). Jessica Damiano, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Jan. 2024 And thanks to a blend of juniper, blood orange, and violet, your hair will smell ridiculously fresh, too. Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 26 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'violet.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French, from viole "the violet flower" (going back to Latin viola "any of various spring flowers, as Viola odorata," derivative of a base vi- of Mediterranean substratal origin, as also Greek íon "the color violet") + -et -et entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of violet was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near violet

Cite this Entry

“Violet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/violet. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

violet

noun
vi·​o·​let ˈvī-ə-lət How to pronounce violet (audio)
1
a
: any of a genus of mostly herbs that often produce showy fragrant flowers in the spring and small closed self-pollinated flowers without petals in the summer
b
: any of several plants of other genera compare dogtooth violet
2
: a reddish blue

More from Merriam-Webster on violet

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