periwinkle
periwinkle Lexical Profile
periwinkle Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Any of several trailing, evergreen herbaceous plants of the genus Vinca in the dogbane family Apocynaceae, native to Europe and Asia and widely cultivated as ornamental ground cover for their glossy foliage and solitary, five-petaled, pinwheel-shaped blue, violet, or white flowers.
"She planted creeping periwinkle along the shaded garden border to suppress weeds and add a carpet of blue blossoms in spring."
A small, edible marine gastropod mollusk of the family Littorinidae, especially the common European species Littorina littorea, having a thick, spiral, conical shell and inhabiting rocky intertidal shorelines across the North Atlantic.
"At low tide, the children searched the tide pools for periwinkles clinging to the wet rocks and seaweed."
A pastel shade of purplish-blue or light indigo, intermediate between lavender and cornflower blue.
"The artist mixed ultramarine with white and a touch of violet to achieve a soft periwinkle for the evening sky."
• adjective
Having a pale, purplish-blue or light indigo color resembling the blossoms of the periwinkle plant.
"The bridesmaids wore matching periwinkle dresses that complemented the spring garden setting."
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
As a botanical term, the word derives from Old English peruince, borrowed from Latin pervinca, and was later altered by folk-etymological association with the marine snail Sense, which comes from Old English pinewincla.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.