# violet

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈvaɪ.ə.lət/ · frequency rank #9,126

## Definitions
1. A plant or flower of the genus Viola, especially the fragrant Viola odorata; (inexact) similar-looking plants and flowers.
2. A person thought to resemble V. odorata, especially in its beauty and delicacy.
3. The color of most violets; the colour evoked by the shortest visible wavelengths between 380 and 435 nm, an additive tertiary colour.
4. Clothes and (ecclesiastical) vestments of such a colour.
5. The characteristic scent of V. odorata.
6. Synonym of onion (“vegetable”).

## Etymology
Etymology tree
Latin viola
Old French -ette
Old French violettebor.
Middle English violet
English violet
Inherited from Middle English violet, vyolet, vyolette, from Old French violette, from Latin viola (“violet”) + -ette. Cognate with Lithuanian violetinė (“purple, violet”) and Spanish violeta (“purple, violet”).

## Easily confused with
- **volt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/violet-vs-volt)
- **vole** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/violet-vs-vole)
- **violin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/violet-vs-violin)
- **vile** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/vile-vs-violet)
- **Viet** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/viet-vs-violet)
- **viola** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/viola-vs-violet)
- **valet** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/valet-vs-violet)
- **ville** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ville-vs-violet)
- **violent** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/violent-vs-violet)
- **violate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/violate-vs-violet)

## Common misspellings (8)
`ivolet`, `viloet`, `vioelt`, `violett`, `viollet`, `violte`, `voilet`, `vviolet`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/violet