periwinkle
Use Periwinkle in a sentence
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ɪˌwɪŋ noun
1.
any of various marine gastropods or sea snails, especially Littorina littorea, used for food in Europe.
2.
the shell of any of these animals.
Origin:
1520–30; perhaps reflecting (through assimilation to periwinkle2) Old English pīnewincle, equivalent to pīne (< Latin pīna < Greek pîna, variant of pínna kind of mollusk) + wincle, cognate with dialectal Danish vinkel snail shell
1520–30; perhaps reflecting (through assimilation to periwinkle2) Old English pīnewincle, equivalent to pīne (< Latin pīna < Greek pîna, variant of pínna kind of mollusk) + wincle, cognate with dialectal Danish vinkel snail shell
Dictionary.com Unabridged
noun
1.
Also called myrtle. a trailing plant, Vinca minor, of the dogbane family, having glossy, evergreen foliage and usually blue-violet flowers.
2.
any of several similar plants of the genus Vinca or Catharanthus.
Origin:
before 1000; earlier pervinkle, perwinkle, alteration (see -le) of Middle English perwinke, pervinke < Anglo-French pervenke (Old French pervenche) < Late Latin pervinca, Latin vi(n)capervi(n)ca; compare Old English peruince, Middle High German ber(e)winke < Late Latin pervinca
before 1000; earlier pervinkle, perwinkle, alteration (see -le) of Middle English perwinke, pervinke < Anglo-French pervenke (Old French pervenche) < Late Latin pervinca, Latin vi(n)capervi(n)ca; compare Old English peruince, Middle High German ber(e)winke < Late Latin pervinca
Related forms
per·i·win·kled, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To periwinkle
00:10
Periwinkle
is always a great word to know.
So is doohickey. Does it mean:
| a gadget; dingus; thingumbob. |
| a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
periwinkle1 (ˈpɛrɪˌwɪŋkəl) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| Often shortened to: winkle any of various edible marine gastropods of the genus Littorina, esp L. littorea, having a spirally coiled shell | |
| [C16: of unknown origin] | |
| periwinkle2 (ˈpɛrɪˌwɪŋkəl) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | creeping myrtle, Also called (US): trailing myrtle any of several Eurasian apocynaceous evergreen plants of the genus Vinca, such as V. minor (lesser periwinkle) and V. major (greater periwinkle), having trailing stems and blue flowers |
| 2. | a. a light purplish-blue colour |
| b. (as adjective): a periwinkle coat | |
| [C14 pervenke, from Old English perwince, from Late Latin pervinca] | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
periwinkle
"evergreen plant," 1501, dim. of parvink (12c.), from O.E. perwince, from L.L. pervinca "periwinkle" (4c.), from L., from pervincire "to entwine, bind," from per- "thoroughly" + vincire "to bind, fetter."
periwinkle
"kind of sea snail," 1530, alt. of O.E. pinewincle, probably by infl. of M.E. parvink (see periwinkle (1)), from O.E. pine- (probably from L. pina "mussel," from Gk. pine) + wincel "corner."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
Common periwinkle is adapted to a wide range of soils.
From burnt sienna to periwinkle, the crayons stood at attention, immaculate and pointy with possibilities.
The rosy periwinkle plant holds the key to fighting rare blood cancers.
Vincristine, which is an important drug for lymphoma and leukemia, comes from periwinkle.
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