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periwinkle

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

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Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

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

Noun

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periwinkle (plural periwinkles)

greater periwinkle (Vinca major)
  1. Any of several evergreen plants of the genus Vinca with blue or white flowers. [from 10th c.]
    • 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[ry] 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.
    • 1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs, New York: The Citadel Press, page 115:
      Among herbs that have traditionally been considered to possess aphrodisiac virtue are, maidenhair, navelwort, anemone, wild poppy, valerian, cyclamen, male fern, pansy, periwinkle.
  2. Similar plants of genus Catharanthus.
  3. A color with bluish and purplish hues, somewhat light.
    periwinkle:  
    • 2025 February 21, Leah Dolan, “How the Superman ‘S’ became fashion’s favorite logo”, in CNN‎[1]:
      And although we’ve certainly seen a variety of blue shades — from periwinkle to cobalt and even Dean Cain’s indigo-washed costume from the 1990’s TV show “Lois & Clark” — Superman’s uniform is still instantly recognizable across generations. In fact, there is only one film — Zack Snyder’s 2013 “Man of Steel” — in which Superman does not wear his iconic red belted trunks.
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Adjective

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periwinkle (comparative more periwinkle, superlative most periwinkle)

  1. Of pale bluish purple colour.
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See also

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References

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Etymology 2

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Periwinkle emerging from its shell

From Middle English [Term?], 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

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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.
  2. (Pacific Northwest US) A caddisfly larva.
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Further reading

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