Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Topic: PLANTS

Sense: 1
Date: 1000-1100
Language: Latin
Origin: pervinca
Sense: 2
Date: 1500-1600
Origin: Perhaps from Old English pinewincle, from Latin pina type of mussel + Old English -wincle 'shell'

periwinkle

 noun
     
per‧i‧win‧kle
1 [countable]HBP a small plant with light blue or white flowers that grows close to the ground
2 [countable] a small sea animal that lives in a shell and can be eaten [= winkle]
Definition of periwinkle from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English within
the topic PLANTS
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