different between pimpernel vs primrose

English

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman pimpernele et al., Middle French pimpinelle (“burnet saxifrage”) et al., from Medieval Latin pimpinella, pipinella, most likely from piper (“pepper”) because its fruit resembled peppercorns, although variants may suggest other derivations, bipinnella the bipennis (“two-winged”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?p?mp?n?l/

Noun

pimpernel (plural pimpernels)

1. (now rare) A plant of the genus Pimpinella, especially burnet saxifrage, Pimpinella saxifraga. [from 16th c.]
2. Any of various plants of the genus Anagallis, having small red, white or purple flowers, especially the scarlet pimpernel, Anagallis arvensis. [from 15th c.]
   • 1653, Nicholas Culpeper, The English Physician Enlarged, Folio Society 2007, p. 221:

     Common Pimpernel has diverse weak square stalks lying on the ground, beset all along with two small and almost round leaves at every joint [...].

3. Sanguisorba spp. [from 16th c.]
   1. Great burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis) [from 16th c.]
   2. Salad burnet (Sanguisorba minor). [from 16th c.]
4. (Canada, US) A yellow pimpernel (Taenidia integerrima)
5. (figuratively) Someone resembling the fictional Scarlet Pimpernel; a gallant dashing resourceful man given to remarkable feats of bravery and derring-do in liberating victims of tyranny and injustice. [from 20th c.]
   • (Can we date this quote?), Hal Lehrman

     Lined up solidly with the Pimpernels and with the persecuted.

Translations

English

Etymology

From Middle English primerose, from Old French primerose, from Medieval Latin prima (“first”) + rosa (“rose”). The reason it was called this might be that some primroses are among the first flowers to bloom in the spring.

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /?p??m.?o?z/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?p??m.???z/

Noun

primrose (plural primroses)

1. A flowering plant of the genus Primula.
   1. Specifically, the species Primula acaulis (syn. Primula vulgaris), also called common primrose.
2. A plant of the family Primulaceae.
3. A plant of the genus Oenothera, better known as an evening primrose.
4. A flower of a primrose plant.
5. A light yellow colour.

Synonyms

• (plant): primula, cowslip, oxlip, primerole

Derived terms

Translations

See also

Adjective

primrose (comparative more primrose, superlative most primrose)

1. Of a light yellow colour.

Translations

Verb

primrose (third-person singular simple present primroses, present participle primrosing, simple past and past participle primrosed)

1. (intransitive) To pick primroses.

   We went primrosing on Sunday and returned with a full basket.

References

• Oenothera on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Oenothera on Wikispecies.Wikispecies
• Oenothera on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons
• Primulaceae on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Primulaceae on Wikispecies.Wikispecies
• Primulaceae on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons

Anagrams

• promiser