Pimpernel Definition
pĭmpər-nĕl, -nəl
noun
Any of a genus (Anagallis) of plants of the primrose family, esp. the scarlet pimpernel (A. arvensis), with red, white, or blue, starlike flowers which close in bad weather.
Webster's New World
Great burnet or salad burnet. [from 16th c.]
Wiktionary
Synonyms:
- Poterium sanguisorba
- burnet bloodwort
- salad burnet
Other Word Forms of Pimpernel
Noun
Singular:
pimpernel
Plural:
pimpernelsOrigin of Pimpernel
-
From Anglo-Norman pimpernele et al., Middle French pimpinelle (“burnet saxifrage") et al., from Late Latin pipinella, most likely from Vulgar Latin *piperinus (“pepper-like"), because its fruit resembled peppercorns, from Latin piper. It has also been linked to Latin bipinnella, from bipennis (“two-winged").
From Wiktionary
-
Middle English pimpernelle from Old French alteration of piprenelle from Late Latin pimpinella perhaps from Latin piper pepper pepper
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
Related Articles
Find Similar Words
Find similar words to pimpernel using the buttons below.