Johnny-jump-up

noun

John·​ny-jump-up ˌjä-nē-ˈjəmp-ˌəp 

1

: a common cultivated European viola (Viola tricolor) which has short-spurred flowers usually blue or purple mixed with white and yellow and from which most of the garden pansies are derived

broadly : any of various small-flowered cultivated pansies

2

: any of various American violets

Examples of Johnny-jump-up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Pansies flower in a range of colors with many two-toned varieties available, while Johnny-jump-ups produce tricolored blooms featuring a mix of purple, yellow, and white. —Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 15 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1827, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for Johnny-jump-up

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup

Kids Definition

Johnny-jump-up

noun

John·​ny-jump-up

ˌjän-ē-ˈjəm-ˌpəp

: any of various pansies or violets with small flowers