periwinkle 1
/per"i wing'keuhl/ , n.
1. any of various marine gastropods or sea snails, esp. Littorina littorea, used for food in Europe.
2. the shell of any of these animals.
[ 1520-30; perh. reflecting (through assimilation to PERIWINKLE 2 ) OE pinewincle, equiv. to pine ( pina pîna, var. of PÍNNA kind of mollusk) + wincle, c. dial. Dan vinkel snail shell ]
periwinkle 2
— periwinkled , adj.
/per"i wing'keuhl/ , n.
1. Also called myrtle . a trailing plant, Vinca minor, of the dogbane family, having glossy, evergreen foliage and usually blue-violet flowers.
2. any of several similar plants of the genus Vinca or Catharanthus.
[ bef. 1000; earlier pervinkle, perwinkle, alter. (see -LE) of ME perwinke, pervinke pervenke (OF pervenche ) pervinca, L vi ( n ) capervi ( n ) ca; cf. OE peruince, MHG ber ( e ) winke pervinca ]