I. vī-ˈō-lə, vē-; ˈvī-ə- noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin
Date: 15th century
: violet 1a ; especially : any of various garden hybrids with solitary white, yellow, or purple often variegated flowers resembling but smaller than typical pansies
II. vē-ˈō-lə noun
Etymology: Italian & Spanish, viol, viola, from Old Occitan, viol
Date: circa 1724
: a musical instrument of the violin family that is intermediate in size and compass between the violin and cello and is tuned a fifth below the violin
• vi·o·list -list noun