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Lilac vs Periwinkle - What's the difference?

lilac | periwinkle |

As nouns the difference between lilac and periwinkle

is that lilac is a large shrub of the genus Syringa, bearing white, pale pink, or purple flowers while periwinkle is any of several evergreen plants of the genus Vinca with blue or white flowers.

As adjectives the difference between lilac and periwinkle

is that lilac is (colour) having a pale purple colour while periwinkle is of pale bluish purple colour.

lilac

English

(wikipedia)

Noun

(en noun)
  • A large shrub of the genus Syringa , bearing white, pale pink or purple flowers.
  • *
  • *:Breezes blowing from beds of iris quickened her breath with their perfume; she saw the tufted lilacs sway in the wind, and the streamers of mauve-tinted wistaria swinging, all a-glisten with golden bees; she saw a crimson cardinal winging through the foliage, and amorous tanagers flashing like scarlet flames athwart the pines.
  • A flower of the lilac shrub.
  • A pale purple colour, the colour of some lilac flowers.
  • :
  • Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (colour) having a pale purple colour.
  • See also

    * syringa * bunchflower *

    Derived terms

    * lilacky

    Anagrams

    *

    periwinkle

    Etymology 1

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

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Any of several evergreen plants of the genus Vinca with blue or white flowers.
  • * 1653 , (Nicholas Culpeper), The English Physician Enlarged , Folio Society 2007, p. 220:
  • The Periwinkle is a great binder, staying bleeding both at mouth and nose is some of the leaves be chewed.
  • A color with bluish and purplish hues, somewhat light.
  • (CCCCFF)
    Synonyms
    * (plant) myrtle, vinca

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Of pale bluish purple colour.
  • Derived terms
    * Madagascar periwinkle * rose periwinkle * rosy periwinkle

    See also

    * * vinblastine * vincristine *

    Etymology 2

    (etyl), alteration of *pinewinkle'' (compare English dialectal pennywinkle), from (etyl) 'mussel') and -''wincle (compare Danish dial. vinkel 'snail shell'), from wincel 'corner'. More at winch and wink.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A mollusk of genus .
  • Synonyms
    * (mollusk) winkle

    See also

    *