lavender

noun lav·en·der \ ˈla-vən-dər \

|Updated on: 14 Aug 2018

Definition of lavender

1 a : a Mediterranean mint (Lavandula angustifolia synonym L. officinalis) widely cultivated for its narrow aromatic leaves and spikes of lilac-purple flowers which are dried and used in sachets and from which is extracted an aromatic oil used chiefly in perfumery

b : any of several plants congeneric with true lavender and used similarly but often considered inferior

2 : a pale purple

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Examples of lavender in a Sentence

a small cloth bag filled with lavender

Recent Examples of lavender from the Web

From the runway into the home, lavender is everywhere.

— Southern Living, "This Is The Most Popular Nail Polish Color on Pinterest Right Now," 18 June 2018
This is a slightly creamy version, emerging from the machine in frills, in Hello Kitty shades like pink, lavender, and pale green.

— devra first, BostonGlobe.com, "In search of brain freeze," 21 May 2018
The media mogul made her way to St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in a lavender dress and hat.

— samantha cooney, Time, "Oprah Winfrey Delightfully Surprised Everyone By Rolling Up to the Royal Wedding," 19 May 2018
Everything from basil to thyme to lavender can infuse fresh flavors to otherwise played-out drinks.

— Indianapolis Star, "RECIPES: Herbs with Spirit," 11 May 2018
Sensory-friendly kits for visitors include weighted lap pads, lavender lotion, stress balls and fidget spinners, crayons, coloring books and picture books.

— karen zurawski, Houston Chronicle, "George Ranch Historical Park plans first Sensory-Friendly Day," 12 Apr. 2018
Jan painted the room, hoping the newly lavender walls would help her surviving daughter forget the shadow man, an indistinct figure Jennifer saw the night Michelle disappeared.

— gina barton, jsonline.com, "CHAPTER 4: MISSING MOM," 20 Sep. 2017
Petunia Starting petunias from seed opens the door to a wide world of beautiful, tubular flowers in shades ranging from striking magenta to subdued lavender to pure white.

— the editors of organic life, Good Housekeeping, "13 Annual Flowers You Can Easily Grow From Seeds," 2 June 2016
The flowers are available in red, pink, lavender and white.

— calvin finch, San Antonio Express-News, "The plants that will attract fall hummingbirds, butterflies," 13 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lavender.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of lavender

Middle English lavendre, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin lavandula

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First Known Use: 13th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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lavender

verb

Definition of lavender

lavendered; lavendering play \ˈla-vən-d(ə-)riŋ\

transitive verb

: to sprinkle or perfume with lavender

Recent Examples of lavender from the Web

But for those of you who want to drift off to dreamland, there’s always lavender soda.

— aleksandra crapanzano, WSJ, "You’ll Never Miss the Booze: The New Non-Alcoholic Cocktails," 23 Aug. 2017

First Known Use of lavender

1820

in the meaning defined above

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LAVENDER Defined for English Language Learners

lavender

noun

Definition of lavender for English Language Learners

: a plant with narrow leaves and small purple flowers that have a sweet smell
: the dried leaves and flowers of the lavender plant used to make clothes and fabrics smell pleasant
: a pale purple color