periwinkle

Etymology 1

Diminutive of Middle English perwinke, from Old English perfince, perwince (compare Middle High German berwinke), from Latin pervinca (compare French pervenche, Italian pervinca), of unknown origin.

noun

1. Any of several evergreen plants of the genus Vinca with blue or white flowers.
   The Periwinkle is a great binder, staying bleeding both at mouth and nose if some of the leaves be chewed. 1653, Nicholas Culpeper, The English Physician Enlarged, Folio Society, published 2007, page 220
2. Similar plants of genus Catharanthus.
3. A color with bluish and purplish hues, somewhat light.
   periwinkle:

adj

1. Of pale bluish purple colour.

Etymology 2

From Middle English [Term?], alteration of *pinewinkle (compare English dialectal pennywinkle), from Old English pīnewincle, compound of Latin pīna (“kind of mussel”), itself from Ancient Greek πίνη (pínē), variant of πίννα (pínna, “mussel”)) and Old English wincel (“corner”) (compare dialectal Danish vinkel (“snail shell”)). More at winch and wink.

noun

1. A mollusk of family Littorinidae.
   He was working a pin into a periwinkle shell, turning it to extract the toothsome morsel of meat. 2022, Paul McAuley, Beyond the Burn Line, Gollancz, page 217