■ noun
1》 a small plant typically with purple, blue, or white five-petalled flowers. [Many species in the genus Viola , family Violaceae.]
↘used in names of unrelated plants with similar flowers, e.g. African ~ .
2》 a bluish-purple colour seen at the end of the spectrum opposite red.
Origin
ME: from OFr. ~te , dimin. of viole , from L. viola '~'.