1. (Bot.) Any plant or flower of the genus Viola, of many species. The violets are generally low, herbaceous
plants, and the flowers of many of the species are blue, while others are white or yellow, or of several
colors, as the pansy
The cultivated sweet violet is Viola odorata of Europe. The common blue violet of the eastern United
States is V. cucullata; the sand, or bird-foot, violet is V. pedata.
2. The color of a violet, or that part of the spectrum farthest from red. It is the most refrangible part of
the spectrum.
3. In art, a color produced by a combination of red and blue in equal proportions; a bluish purple color.
Mollett.
4. (Zoöl.) Any one of numerous species of small violet-colored butterflies belonging to Lycæna, or Rusticus,
and allied genera.
Corn violet. See under Corn. — Dame's violet. (Bot.) See Damewort. — Dogtooth violet. (Bot.)
See under Dogtooth. — Water violet (Bot.), an aquatic European herb (Hottonia palustris) with pale
purplish flowers and pinnatifid leaves.
Violet
(Vi"o*let) a. [Cf. F. violet. See Violet, n.] Dark blue, inclining to red; bluish purple; having a
color produced by red and blue combined.
Violet shell (Zoöl.), any species of Ianthina; — called also violet snail. See Ianthina. — Violet wood,
a name given to several kinds of hard purplish or reddish woods, as king wood, myall wood, and the
wood of the Andira violacea, a tree of Guiana.
Violet-tip
(Vi"o*let-tip") n. (Zoöl.) A very handsome American butterfly Its wings are mottled with various
shades of red and brown and have violet tips.
Violin
(Vi`o*lin") n. [It. violino, dim. of viola. See Viol.] (Mus.) A small instrument with four strings,
played with a bow; a fiddle.
The violin is distinguished for the brilliancy and gayety, as well as the power and variety, of its tones,
and in the orchestra it is the leading and most important instrument.
Violine
(Vi"o*line) n. (Chem.) (a) A pale yellow amorphous substance of alkaloidal nature and emetic
properties, said to have been extracted from the root and foliage of the violet (b) Mauve aniline. See
under Mauve.
Violinist
(Vi`o*lin"ist) n. [Cf. F. violiniste, violoniste, It. violonista.] A player on the violin.
Violist
(Vi"ol*ist) n. [Cf. F. violiste.] A player on the viol.
Violoncellist
(Vi`o*lon*cel"list) n. [Cf. F. violoncelliste, It. violoncellista.] A player on the violoncello.
Violoncello
(Vi`o*lon*cel"lo) n. [It. violoncello, dim. of violone a bass viol. See Violone.] (Mus.) A
stringed instrument of music; a bass viol of four strings, or a bass violin with long, large strings, giving
sounds an octave lower than the viola, or tenor or alto violin.
