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View synonyms for violet

violet

1

[ vahy-uh-lit ]

noun

  1. any chiefly low, stemless or leafy-stemmed plant of the genus Viola, having purple, blue, yellow, white, or variegated flowers. Compare violet family.
  2. any such plant except the pansy and the viola.
  3. the flower of any native, wild species of violet, as distinguished from the pansy: the state flower of Illinois, New Jersey, and Rhode Island.
  4. any of various similar plants of other genera.
  5. reddish-blue, a color at the opposite end of the visible spectrum from red, an effect of light with a wavelength between 400 and 450 nanometers.

adjective

  1. of the color violet; reddish-blue:

    violet hats.

Violet

2

[ vahy-uh-lit ]

noun

  1. a female given name.

violet

/ ˈvaɪəlɪt /

noun

  1. any of various temperate perennial herbaceous plants of the violaceous genus Viola, such as V. odorata ( sweet (or garden ) violet ), typically having mauve or bluish flowers with irregular showy petals
  2. any other plant of the genus Viola, such as the wild pansy
  3. any of various similar but unrelated plants, such as the African violet
    1. any of a group of colours that vary in saturation but have the same purplish-blue hue. They lie at one end of the visible spectrum, next to blue; approximate wavelength range 445–390 nanometres
    2. ( as adjective )

      a violet dress

  5. a dye or pigment of or producing these colours
  6. violet clothing

    dressed in violet

  7. shrinking violet informal.
    shrinking violet a shy person

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Derived Forms

  • ˈviolet-ˌlike, adjective

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Word History and Origins

Origin of violet1

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Old French violete, equivalent to viole (from Latin viola violet) + -ete diminutive suffix; -et

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Word History and Origins

Origin of violet1

C14: from Old French violete a little violet, from viole, from Latin viola violet

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Idioms and Phrases

see shrinking violet .

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Example Sentences

A vibrant violet color meets the eye, while aromas of blackberry, pine and stones entice the nose.

Watching the color of the sky shade from yellow to green to violet depending on where Norah is standing made for its own pleasant diversion early on, while near the end there are underwater sections that I enjoyed solely for their aquatic beauty.

She’s now rocking a mix of violet and hibiscus in the form of a curly cut with cropped sides.

The couple’s two daughters, Violet and Claire, were born in May 2016, a little less than three years before the birth of their twin sons, Evan and Damian.

This allows us to make different color solar cells and LEDs emitting light from the ultra-violet, right through to the visible and near-infrared.

Add a pop of color with a bright violet v-neck blouse from 3.1 Phillip Lim.

The odd (though beautiful) pair here is Daisy and Violet Hilton, conjoined twins who were a hit on the vaudeville circuit.

Sutton Foster abandoned her usual perky personna to play scared and scarred in Violet, and voters may reward her effort.

Certainly no one who knows me would accuse me of being a shrinking violet.

Streep plays Violet Weston, a woman unraveled after her husband's suicide.

Large divans of the richest crimson and violet brocades lined the walls, while ample curtains of the same served in lieu of doors.

She sat still as a statue, scarce breathing, her eyes fixed upon the violet sky.

Benny was never too cross to listen to the wonderful stories his sister Violet could tell about Cinnamon Bear.

Violet was already curled up in her nest, which was hidden so completely that Henry spoke to her to see if she were there.

They pressed the hay back firmly until they had made their way into Violet's little room.

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More About Violet

violet flower

A violet is a flower known for its vibrant bluish-purple color (the basis of the name of the color violet).

The name violet can refer to any flower in the genus Viola, some of which are other colors (including blue, yellow, and white) or are variegated. The most well-known variety is called the common blue violet. The violet family contains many different species of plants, including trees and shrubs.

The violet is the state flower of Illinois, New Jersey, Wisconsin, and Rhode Island. It’s also one of the February birth flowers (a flower that’s associated with a particular month in the same way as a birthstone).

Violets are often said to represent modesty. The idiom shrinking violet refers to someone who is shy or (overly) modest.

Example: For my birthday, my wife always gives me a bouquet of beautiful violets.

What color is violet?

The word violet is also commonly used as the name of a color—one like that of the flower. Violet is one of the colors of the rainbow—the visual spectrum of color—along with red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and indigo (violet is the V in the abbreviation ROYGBIV). Beyond violet on this spectrum is ultraviolet, which is not visible to the naked eye.

How is violet different from purple?

Although in casual use violet is often used to refer to a shade of purple (or vice versa), the word purple is more broad and can refer to any shade between red and blue. Generally speaking, violet is much more blue in hue; purple is more reddish.

Where does violet come from?

The first records of the word violet come from the 1300s. It ultimately comes from the Latin name for the flower, viola.

Wild violets can be perennial or annual, meaning some species may last only for a season while others may bloom year after year. Violets usually bloom in early spring.

Did you know ... ?

What are some words that share a root or word element with violet? 

What are some words that often get used in discussing violet?

How is violet used in real life?

When people say violet, they are usually referring to the small purple flower or the purple color.

 

Try using violet!

True or False?

Violets are said to symbolize modesty.

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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