periwinkle

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English

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

Diminutive of Middle English perwinke, from Old English perfince, perwince (compare Middle High German berwinke), from Latin pervinca (compare French pervenche, Italian pervinca), of unknown origin.

Noun

periwinkle (plural periwinkles)

  1. Any of several evergreen plants of the genus Vinca with blue or white flowers.
    • 1652, Nich[olas] Culpeper, The English Physitian: Or An Astrologo-physical Discourse of the Vulgar Herbs of This Nation. , London: Peter Cole, , →OCLC:
      The Periwinkle is a great binder, staying bleeding both at mouth and nose if some of the leaves be chewed.
    • 1658, Thomas Browne, “The Garden of Cyrus. . Chapter III.”, in Hydriotaphia, Urne-buriall, Together with The Garden of Cyrus, , London: Hen Brome , →OCLC, page 137:
      He that vvould diſcern the rudimentall ſtroak of a plant, may behold it in the Originall of Duckvveed, at the bigneſſe of a pins point, from convenient vvater in glaſſes, vvherein a vvatchfull eye may alſo diſcover the puncticular Originals of Perivvincles and Gnats.
  2. Similar plants of genus Catharanthus.
  3. A color with bluish and purplish hues, somewhat light.
    periwinkle:  
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Adjective

periwinkle (comparative more periwinkle, superlative most periwinkle)

  1. Of pale bluish purple colour.
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Etymology 2

Periwinkle emerging from its shell

From Middle English , alteration of *pinewinkle (compare English dialectal pennywinkle), from Old English pīnewincle, compound of Latin pīna (“kind of mussel”), itself from Ancient Greek πίνη (pínē), variant of πίννα (pínna, “mussel”)) and Old English wincel (“corner”) (compare dialectal Danish vinkel (“snail shell”)). More at winch and wink.

Noun

periwinkle (plural periwinkles)

  1. A mollusk of family Littorinidae.
    • 2022, Paul McAuley, Beyond the Burn Line, Gollancz, page 217:
      He was working a pin into a periwinkle shell, turning it to extract the toothsome morsel of meat.
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