rosy periwinkle

noun

: a commonly cultivated subshrub (Catharanthus roseus synonym Vinca rosea) of the dogbane family that is native to the Old World tropics and is the source of several antineoplastic drugs

called also Madagascar periwinkle, periwinkle

Examples of rosy periwinkle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Extolling the many benefits of plants, Goodall juxtaposes horticultural history with more recent biomedical innovations, such as the role of rosy periwinkle as a potent weapon against childhood leukemia. —

Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 22 Oct. 2013

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

Word History

First Known Use

1982, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of rosy periwinkle was in 1982

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Rosy periwinkle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rosy%20periwinkle. Accessed 28 Nov. 2023.

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Medical Definition

rosy periwinkle

noun

ˈrō-zē-

: a commonly cultivated shrub (Catharanthus roseus synonym Vinca rosea) of the dogbane family (Apocynaceae) that is native to the Old World tropics and is the source of several antineoplastic drugs (as vinblastine and vincristine)

called also Madagascar periwinkle, periwinkle