pansy
pansy Lexical Profile
pansy Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A widely cultivated hybrid garden plant of the genus Viola, characterized by large, velvety, multicolored flowers that often feature facial patterns on their petals.
"She planted a vibrant border of yellow and purple pansies along the edge of the front garden."
An informal, derogatory term for a man or boy who is perceived as weak, cowardly, or effeminate.
"The bully taunted the younger children, calling them pansies for refusing to jump from the high wall."
• adjective
Weak, cowardly, or overly sensitive (used informally as a derogatory insult).
"He was tired of hearing their pansy excuses for avoiding the heavy lifting."
Word Nuance & Usage
While standard and completely neutral when referring to the garden plant, 'pansy' becomes highly derogatory, informal, and often offensive when used to describe a person as weak or cowardly.
• Rhymes for pansy
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived in the 15th century from the Middle French 'pensée' meaning 'thought' (from the verb 'penser', to think), because the flower was traditionally regarded as a symbol of remembrance and loving thoughts.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.