Violet \Vi"o*let\, n. [F. violette a violet (cf. violet
violet-colored), dim. of OF. viole a violet, L. viola; akin
to Gr. ?. Cf. Iodine.]
1. (Bot.) Any plant or flower of the genus Viola, of many
species. The violets are generally low, herbaceous plants,
and the flowers of many of the species are blue, while
others are white or yellow, or of several colors, as the
pansy (Viola tricolor).
Note: The cultivated sweet violet is Viola odorata of
Europe. The common blue violet of the eastern United
States is V. cucullata; the sand, or bird-foot,
violet is V. pedata.
2. The color of a violet, or that part of the spectrum
farthest from red. It is the most refrangible part of the
spectrum.
3. In art, a color produced by a combination of red and blue
in equal proportions; a bluish purple color. --Mollett.
4. (Zo["o]l.) Any one of numerous species of small
violet-colored butterflies belonging to Lyc[ae]na, or
Rusticus, and allied genera.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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