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noun Uncommon

lavender

LAV-uhn-duh

Lavender (noun) means a fragrant purple-flowered plant of the mint family, or the pale purple color associated with it. Example: “The garden was filled with the scent of lavender in early summer.”

noun
1
A fragrant purple-flowered plant of the mint family, or the pale purple color associated with it.
"The garden was filled with the scent of lavender in early summer."
"She painted the nursery walls a soft lavender."
adj
1
Having a pale purple color.
"She wore a lavender dress to the spring wedding."

How to use lavender

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither the herb known for its calming scent, or the light purple color named after its flowers.

Common pairings
lavender oil lavender fields a shade of lavender

Word forms

more lavender comparative, lavendered past tense, lavenders plural, Lavenders plural, lavenders singular, most lavender superlative

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The garden was filled with the scent of _____ in early summer.

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman lavendre, from Medieval Latin lavendula, likely influenced by Latin lavo, "to wash," because of its long use as a scent for washed laundry.

Origin: Medieval Latin

Rhymes for lavender

See all rhymes for lavender →

Frequently asked questions

What does “lavender” mean?

The word “lavender” means a fragrant purple-flowered plant of the mint family, or the pale purple color associated with it. In plain terms, either the herb known for its calming scent, or the light purple color named after its flowers.

How do you pronounce “lavender”?

“Lavender” is pronounced LAV-uhn-duh (/ˈlæv.ən.dɚ/ in IPA).

How do you use “lavender” in a sentence?

Here is “lavender” used in a sentence: “The garden was filled with the scent of lavender in early summer.”

What part of speech is “lavender”?

Depending on how it is used, “lavender” can be a noun and an adjective.

Where does the word “lavender” come from?

The word “lavender” comes from Medieval Latin. From Anglo-Norman lavendre, from Medieval Latin lavendula, likely influenced by Latin lavo, "to wash," because of its long use as a scent for washed laundry.

Is “lavender” a common word?

“Lavender” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “lavender” have?

“Lavender” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a fragrant purple-flowered plant of the mint family, or the pale purple color associated with it.

Definitions: FreeDict original editorial