lavender

[ lav-uhn-der ]
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noun
  1. a pale bluish purple.

  2. any Old World plant or shrub belonging to the genus Lavandula, of the mint family, especially L. angustifolia, having spikes of fragrant, pale purple flowers.

  1. the dried flowers or other parts of this plant placed among linen, clothes, etc., for scent or as a preservative.

  2. Also called lav·en·der wa·ter [lav-uhn-der waw-ter, wot-er] /ˈlæv ən dər ˌwɔ tər, ˌwɒt ər/ toilet water, aftershave, or the like, made with a solution of oil of lavender.

adjective
  1. of the color lavender.

  2. Informal.

    • of or relating to gay male sexual orientation.

    • (of a man) gay or effeminate.

Origin of lavender

1
First recorded in 1225–75; Middle English lavendre, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin lavendula, variant of livendula, nasalized variant (unrecorded) of lividula “a plant livid in color”; see livid, -ule

Words Nearby lavender

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How to use lavender in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for lavender

lavender

/ (ˈlævəndə) /


noun
  1. any of various perennial shrubs or herbaceous plants of the genus Lavandula, esp L. vera, cultivated for its mauve or blue flowers and as the source of a fragrant oil (oil of lavender): family Lamiaceae (labiates): See also spike lavender Compare sea lavender

  2. the dried parts of L. vera, used to perfume clothes

    • a pale or light bluish-purple to a very pale violet colour

    • (as adjective): lavender socks

  1. perfume scented with lavender

  2. (modifier) informal of or relating to homosexuality: lavender language

Origin of lavender

1
C13: lavendre, via French from Medieval Latin lavendula, of obscure origin

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