lavender

lav·en·der

any of a genus (Lavandula) of fragrant European plants of the mint family, having spikes of pale-purplish flowers and yielding an aromatic oil (oil of lavender)
the dried flowers, leaves, and stalks of this plant, used to fill sachets and to perfume clothes, linens, etc.
a pale purple

Origin of lavender

Middle English from Anglo-French lavendre from Medieval Latin lavandria, akin to lavendula (from source German lavendel) from Classical Latin lavare, to wash (see lave): from use as bath perfume

pale-purple
Informal of or having to do with homosexuals or homosexuality

to perfume with lavender

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MLA Style

"lavender." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 19 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Lavender>.

APA Style

lavender. (n.d.). Retrieved January 19th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Lavender

lavender

noun

a. Any of various aromatic plants of the genus Lavandula of the mint family, native chiefly to the Mediterranean region, especially L. angustifolia, having clusters of small purplish flowers. Lavender is widely cultivated as an ornamental and for its essential oil, used in perfumery and cosmetics.
b. The fragrant dried leaves, stems, and flowers of this plant.
A pale to light purple to very light or very pale violet.

Origin of lavender

Middle English lavendre from Anglo-Norman from Medieval Latin livendula, lavendula perhaps from Latin līvidus bluish ; see livid .

Related Forms:

lav′en·der
adjective

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Link/Cite

Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"lavender." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 19 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Lavender>.

APA Style

lavender. (n.d.). Retrieved January 19th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Lavender

Noun

(countable and uncountable, plural lavenders)

Any of a group of European plants, genus, Lavandula, of the mint family.
a pale purple colour, like that of the lavender flower.

Related terms

launder

Adjective

(comparative more lavender, superlative most lavender)

Having a pale purple colour.

Origin

From Middle English, from Anglo-Norman lavendre (French: lavande), from Medieval Latin lavendula, possibly from Latin lividus (“bluish"), but influenced by lavare (“wash") due to use of lavender in washing clothes.

English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.