Pimpernel

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Pimpernel \Pim"per*nel\, n. [F. pimprenelle; cf. Sp. pimpinela,
     It. pimpinella; perh. from LL. bipinnella, for bipinnula
     two-winged, equiv. to L. bipennis; bis twice + penna feather,
     wing. Cf. {Pen} a feather.] (Bot.)
     A plant of the genus {Anagallis}, of which one species
     ({Anagallis arvensis}) has small flowers, usually scarlet,


     but sometimes purple, blue, or white, which speedily close at
     the approach of bad weather.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     {Water pimpernel}. (Bot.) See {Brookweed}.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  pimpernel
       n 1: European garden herb with purple-tinged flowers and leaves
            that are sometimes used for salads [syn: {salad burnet},
             {burnet bloodwort}, {Poterium sanguisorba}]
       2: any of several plants of the genus Anagallis