violet

B1 · Intermediate Uncountable noun

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.

“The sky turned a deep shade of violet just before the sun disappeared.”

“The artist used a rich violet to capture the deep shadows on the mountainside during the late afternoon.”

B1 · Intermediate

adj. having a dark purple-blue color.

adj. of a color between blue and purple; having the hue of a violet flower.

“She wore a beautiful violet dress to the wedding.”

“The interior designer recommended violet curtains to complement the neutral tones of the master bedroom.”

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Informal

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'.

“Don't be such a shrinking violet and come say hello to everyone.”

“Despite her professional success as a public speaker, she described herself as a shrinking violet in large social gatherings.”

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun British English · Dialect

n. a local word for an onion.

n. a regional synonym for an onion.

“In some old parts of the country, you might hear someone call an onion a violet.”

“The dialect survey recorded 'violet' as a localized term for the common onion in specific rural districts of the United Kingdom.”