Definition of PERIWINKLE

periwinkle

Plural: periwinkles

Noun

  • chiefly trailing poisonous plants with blue flowers
  • commonly cultivated Old World woody herb having large pinkish to red flowers
  • small edible marine snail; steamed in wine or baked
  • edible marine gastropod
  • Any of several evergreen plants of the genus Vinca with blue or white flowers.
  • Similar plants of genus Catharanthus.
  • A color with bluish and purplish hues, somewhat light.
  • A mollusk of family Littorinidae.

Adj

  • Of pale bluish purple colour.

Origin / Etymology

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

Synonyms

Cape periwinkle, Catharanthus roseus, cayenne jasmine, Madagascar periwinkle, old maid, red periwinkle, rose periwinkle, Vinca rosea, winkle, creeping myrtle, myrtle, vinca

Scrabble Score: 19

periwinkle: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
periwinkle: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
periwinkle: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 22

periwinkle: valid Words With Friends Word