Violet - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

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SKIP TO CONTENT violet /ˈvaɪ(ə)lət/ /ˈvaɪlɪt/ IPA guide

Other forms: violets

Roses are red, violets are blue...actually, violets are closer to purple — but purple doesn't rhyme with anything. The word violet can refer either to a purplish-blue color or to the tiny flower of that color.

On the color spectrum, violet is a variation on purple that sits a bit closer to blue than red. The color violet comes from the flower name, which is rooted in the Latin viola. The violet is a plant with small flowers that vary in color from pale violet to dark blue, as well as white. If you're coloring violets in a coloring book, you can choose the violet crayon!

Definitions of violet

noun a variable color that lies beyond blue in the spectrum synonyms: reddish blue see moresee less types: indigo a blue-violet color type of: purple, purpleness a purple color or pigment
noun any of numerous low-growing violas with small flowers see moresee less types: show 11 types... hide 11 types... American dog violet, Viola conspersa violet of eastern North America having pale violet to white flowers Viola blanda, sweet white violet, white violet, woodland white violet short-stemmed violet of eastern North America having fragrant purple-veined white flowers Canada violet, Viola canadensis, tall white violet, white violet tall North American perennial with heart-shaped leaves and white flowers with purple streaks Viola canina, dog violet, heath violet Old World leafy-stemmed blue-flowered violet Viola ocellata, heartsease, two-eyed violet violet of Pacific coast of North America having white petals tinged with yellow and deep violet English violet, Viola odorata, garden violet, sweet violet European violet typically having purple to white flowers; widely naturalized Johnny-jump-up, Viola pedata, bird's-foot violet, pansy violet, wood violet common violet of the eastern United States with large pale blue or purple flowers resembling pansies Viola pubescens, downy yellow violet violet of eastern North America having softly pubescent leaves and stems and clear yellow flowers with brown-purple veins Viola rostrata, long-spurred violet violet of eastern North America having lilac-purple flowers with a long slender spur Viola striata, cream violet, pale violet, striped violet leafy-stemmed violet of eastern North America having large white or creamy flowers faintly marked with purple Viola reichenbachiana, Viola sylvatica, hedge violet, wood violet common European violet that grows in woods and hedgerows type of: viola any of the numerous plants of the genus Viola
adjective of a color intermediate between red and blue synonyms: purple, purplish chromatic being, having, or characterized by hue

Pronunciation US /ˈvaɪ(ə)lət/ UK /ˈvaɪlɪt/ Cite this entry Style: MLA

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Vocabulary lists containing violet

Non-Color Words to Use When Describing Color

The words on this list do not denote color in and of themselves, but you can (and should) use them that way. They'll brighten your writing and make your descriptions more visually specific -- think apple green as opposed to bright green.

Purple

Brush up on this list of words for different shades of purple. Here are links to our lists in the collection: Blue, Green, Red, Yellow, Orange, Pink, Purple, White, Black and Gray, Brown

Vocabulary from Readings 2, Unit 1

This lists covers A Wrinkle in Time.

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