violet

noun

vi·​o·​let ˈvī-(ə-)lət 

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

• violet 1a

Examples of violet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Black cherry and a deep dark inky brown look black at first glance, but reveal violet or chocolate tones for those who dare to get close enough. — Loren Savini, Allure, 14 Oct. 2026

As a shrinking-violet housewife who comes alive under the magic of live theater in The Debut, Moore was the toast of Telluride, to the point where screenings of the film regularly received mid-movie applause breaks. — Nate Jones, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026

Blue and violet, the higher-energy ends of the spectrum identified by Cirrus Research, remain the least common in sleep contexts but round out the color menu as the category keeps expanding. — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 9 Oct. 2026

Pieroni painted wings in shades of cobalt, green, violet, and black at Givenchy. — Arden Fanning Andrews, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2026

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

Phrases Containing violet

• African violet
• bird's-foot violet
• crystal violet
• dogtooth violet
• gentian violet
• shrinking violet

Rhymes for violet

• inviolate
• ultraviolet

Kids Definition

violet

noun

vi·​o·​let ˈvī-ə-lət 

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