periwinkle

/ˈpɛriwɪŋkəl/

/ˈpɛriwɪŋkəl/

Other forms: periwinkles

A periwinkle is a tiny snail that lives in the Atlantic Ocean. Some east coast beaches are covered with small stones, shells, and periwinkles. It’s also a color, a purplish-blue, just like the flowers on a periwinkle plant.

You might see periwinkles as you walk along the sea shore, and you may even see them on some restaurant menus, especially in coastal areas of the UK, where they're commonly called winkles. Another kind of periwinkle is the blue-flowered plant also called vinca, as well as the shade of purplish blue that was named for the flowers. Periwinkle is fun to say.

Definitions of periwinkle

1. noun

   small edible marine snail; steamed in wine or baked
   synonyms: winkle

   type of:

   seafood

   edible fish (broadly including freshwater fish) or shellfish or roe etc
2. noun

   edible marine gastropod
   synonyms: winkle

   type of:

   seasnail

   any of several creeping marine gastropods with a spirally coiled shell: whelks; tritons; moon shells; neritids
3. noun

   commonly cultivated Old World woody herb having large pinkish to red flowers
   synonyms: Cape periwinkle, Catharanthus roseus, Madagascar periwinkle, Vinca rosea, cayenne jasmine, old maid, red periwinkle, rose periwinkle

   type of:

   herb, herbaceous plant

   a plant lacking a permanent woody stem; many are flowering garden plants or potherbs; some having medicinal properties; some are pests
4. noun

   chiefly trailing poisonous plants with blue flowers
   types:

   Vinca minor, myrtle

   widely cultivated as a groundcover for its dark green shiny leaves and usually blue-violet flowers

   Vinca major, large periwinkle

   plant having variegated foliage and used for window boxes

   type of:

   subshrub, suffrutex

   low-growing woody shrub or perennial with woody base