lavender Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun any of various Old World aromatic shrubs or subshrubs with usually mauve or blue flowers; widely cultivated
  2. noun a pale purple color
  3. adjective satellite of a pale purple color
    lilac-colored; lilac.

WordNet

Lav"en*der noun
Etymology
OE. lavendre, F. lavande, It. lavanda lavender, a washing, fr. L. lavare to wash; cf. It. lsavendola, LL. lavendula. So called because it was used in bathing and washing. See Lave. to wash, and cf. Lavender.
Definitions
  1. (Bot.) An aromatic plant of the genus Lavandula (L. vera), common in the south of Europe. It yields and oil used in medicine and perfumery. The Spike lavender (L. Spica) yields a coarser oil (oil of spike), used in the arts.
  2. The pale, purplish color of lavender flowers, paler and more delicate than lilac.

Webster 1913