violet
- 01 B1 Intermediate
n.a small plant that has sweet-smelling flowers, usually purple or white.
n.any plant of the genus Viola, typically characterized by small, fragrant, five-petaled flowers.
Simple“The garden was filled with wild violets that bloomed every spring.”
In context“The botanist identified several species of wild violet growing in the shaded, damp soil near the forest edge.”
Synonymsviolapansy - 02 B1 Intermediate
n.a dark purple-blue color, like the color of the flower.
n.a bluish-purple color seen at the end of the visible spectrum, with a wavelength between approximately 380 and 450 nanometers.
Simple“The sky turned a deep shade of violet just before the sun disappeared.”
In context“The artist used a rich violet to capture the deep shadows on the mountainside during the late afternoon.”
- 03 B1 Intermediate
adj.having a dark purple-blue color.
adj.of a color between blue and purple; having the hue of a violet flower.
Simple“She wore a beautiful violet dress to the wedding.”
In context“The interior designer recommended violet curtains to complement the neutral tones of the master bedroom.”
Synonymspurplebluish purple - 04 C1 Advanced
n.a very shy or modest person who does not want to be noticed.
n.a person perceived as exceptionally modest or retiring; almost exclusively used in the idiom 'shrinking violet'.
Simple“Don't be such a shrinking violet and come say hello to everyone.”
In context“Despite her professional success as a public speaker, she described herself as a shrinking violet in large social gatherings.”
- 05 C2 Proficiency
n.a local word for an onion.
n.a regional synonym for an onion.
Simple“In some old parts of the country, you might hear someone call an onion a violet.”
In context“The dialect survey recorded 'violet' as a localized term for the common onion in specific rural districts of the United Kingdom.”
Synonyms
A 19th century flower name from violet, sometimes as an anglicisation of the earlier French Violette.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.