violaceousadj.
/ˌvʌɪəˈleɪʃəs/, U.S. /ˌvaɪəˈleɪʃəs/ 1.
a. Of a violet colour; purplish blue.
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the world > matter > colour > named colours > blue or blueness > [adjective] > purplish blue
hyacinthine1656
violaceous1657
violaceana1711
lilac-blue1851
hyacinthian1858
hyacinth1876
lavender1882
violet blue1882
1657 R. Tomlinson tr. J. de Renou Pharmaceut. Shop i, in Medicinal Dispensatory sig. Qqqv Incrassated by coction, to make it more Violaceous.
1686 R. Plot Nat. Hist. Staffs. iv. 175 [A transparent pebble] of an Amethystine violaceous colour, and a genuin luster.
1791 G. Shaw Vivarium Naturæ, or Naturalist’s Misc. II. Pl. 84 The Violaceous Partridge.
1819 J. F. Stephens Shaw's Gen. Zool. XI. i. 42 The inferior tail-coverts are whitish, with violaceous tinges towards the sides.
1844 Florist's Jrnl. (1846) 5 17 The flowers differ in having the violaceous tint..mixed with the crimson in the texture of the flower.
1877 L. A. Duhring Pract. Treat. Dis. Skin 247 In color they possess a dull red or even violaceous hue.
b. Qualifying names of colours.
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1791 G. Shaw Vivarium Naturæ, or Naturalist’s Misc. II. Pl. 84 Violaceous-blackish Partridge with a cast of green.
1802 G. Shaw Gen. Zool. III. ii. 521 Violaceous-brown Snake.
1802 G. Shaw Gen. Zool. III. ii. 549 Violaceous-green Snake.
1828 J. Stark Elements Nat. Hist. I. 198 Violaceous black; sides of the wing and tail-feathers white.
1854 B. Powell Pereira's Lect. Polarized Light (ed. 2) 268 The extraordinary violaceous blue tint which immediately precedes the yellowish red.
Categories »
2. Botany. Belonging to or resembling the order Violaceæ.
Derivatives
vioˈlaceously adv.
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the world > matter > colour > named colours > blue or blueness > [adverb] > purplish blue
violaceously1888
1888 Harper's Mag. Aug. 336 The stricken flesh..changes color, spots violaceously.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1917; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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adj.1657