lavender

noun lav·en·der \ ˈla-vən-dər \

Updated on: 25 Apr 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

Think lavender or rose tea lattes and vegan caramel coffee.

— brittany martin, Los Angeles Magazine, "How to Make Grain-Free, Dairy-Free, Refined-Sugar-Free Desserts That Actually Taste Good," 20 Apr. 2018
Made with crowd-pleasing lavender and vanilla extracts, these bars create a foaming lather that doesn’t leave skin oily but rather soft and supple.

— claire valentine, The Cut, "12 CBD Beauty Products for Celebrating 420," 20 Apr. 2018
Wisteria is a pastel purple tone that lies somewhere between lavender and millennial pink.

— lyndsey matthews, Redbook, "The New Sally Hansen and Crayola Collection Is Everything Your Nails Need This Spring," 17 Apr. 2018
Craft marshmallows, cupcakes and coffee Wondermade sells creative marshmallows, boozy marshmallows and wacky flavors such as gold champagne, cookies and cream, lavender and more.

— kyle arnold, OrlandoSentinel.com, "15 reasons Sanford has the region's hottest food scene," 6 Apr. 2018
Just inside the gate, garden workers handed the visitors sprigs of lavender and edible pea pods.

— leah garchik, San Francisco Chronicle, "Children explore how vegetable superpowers can help the homeless," 27 Mar. 2018
The makeshift hive sits nestled among garden boxes overflowing with lavender and rosemary, a delicate contrast to the jagged skyscrapers that loom in the distance.

— bailey bischoff, The Christian Science Monitor, "In San Francisco, hotels welcome bees as honored guests," 26 Mar. 2018
The lavender and gin fizz cocktail is also a delicious compliment to all three courses.

— jaimie potters, Marie Claire, "Weekend Trip Guide: Where to Stay, Eat, and Explore in Marrakech, Morocco," 16 Mar. 2018
Pieris, rosemary, lavender and Daphne odora and other winter daphne are also low-maintenance.

— OregonLive.com, "When to prune shrubs, and when to put down the clippers," 24 Feb. 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