və(r)ˈbēnə, ÷ -nyə noun
Etymology: New Latin, from Latin, singular of verbenae sacred boughs of laurel or olive or myrtle, class of medicinal plants — more at vervain
1. capitalized : a genus (the type of the family Verbenaceae) of chiefly American herbs or subshrubs having bracted flowers in heads or spikes, a regular corolla with a 5-lobed limb, and four one-seeded nutlets
2. -s
a. : vervain 1 ; especially : any of numerous garden plants of hybrid origin but treated as a hybrid species ( Verbena × hybrida ) that are widely cultivated usually as annuals for their showy spikes of white, pink, red, or blue flowers which are borne in profusion over a long season — see blue vervain
b. : any of various plants felt to resemble verbenas — usually used in combination; see lemon verbena , sand verbena
3. or verbena violet -s : a pale violet to pale purple — called also vervain