Periwinkle Definition

Origin of Periwinkle

• Middle English, alteration of *pinewinkle (compare English dialectal pennywinkle), from Old English pīnewincle, compound of Latin pīna 'kind of mussel', itself from Ancient Greek pîna, variant of pínna 'mussel') and -wincle (compare Danish dial. vinkel 'snail shell'), from wincel 'corner'. More at winch and wink.

  From Wiktionary

• Middle English periwinkle probably alteration (influenced by pervinkle periwinkle (plant)) of Old English pīnewincle Latin pīna mussel (from Greek pīnē) Old English -wincel snail shell

  From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

• Diminutive of Middle English perwinke, from Old English perfince, perwince (compare Middle High German berwinke), from Latin (vinca) pervinca (compare French pervenche, Italian pervinca), of unknown origin.

  From Wiktionary

• Middle English pervinkle diminutive of pervinke from Old English pervince from Latin (vinca) pervinca from pervincīre to wind about

  From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition