noun
- a pale bluish purple.
- any Old World plant or shrub belonging to the genus Lavandula, of the mint family, especially L. angustifolia, having spikes of fragrant, pale purple flowers.
- the dried flowers or other parts of this plant placed among linen, clothes, etc., for scent or as a preservative.
- Also called lavender water. toilet water, shaving lotion, or the like, made with a solution of oil of lavender.
adjective
- of the color lavender.
- Informal.
- of or relating to homosexuality.
- homosexual or effeminate.
noun
- a perfume made of essential oils of lavender and alcohol
noun
- any of various perennial shrubs or herbaceous plants of the genus Lavandula, esp L. vera, cultivated for its mauve or blue flowers and as the source of a fragrant oil (oil of lavender): family Lamiaceae (labiates)See also spike lavender Compare sea lavender
- the dried parts of L. vera, used to perfume clothes
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- a pale or light bluish-purple to a very pale violet colour
- (as adjective)lavender socks
- perfume scented with lavender
- (modifier) informal of or relating to homosexualitylavender language
n.“fragrant plant of the mint family,” c.1300, from Anglo-French lavendre, Old French lavendre, from Medieval Latin lavendula “lavender” (10c.), perhaps from Latin lividus “bluish, livid.” Associated with French lavande, Italian lavanda “a washing” (from Latin lavare “to wash;” see lave) because it was used to scent washed fabrics and as a bath perfume. (An identical Middle English word meant “laundress, washerwoman;” also, apparently, “prostitute, whore; camp follower” and is attested as a surname from early 13c.). The adjective meaning “pale purple color” is from 1840.