lavender

1 of 2

noun

lav·​en·​der ˈla-vən-dər How to pronounce lavender (audio)
1
a
: a Mediterranean mint (Lavandula angustifolia synonym L. officinalis) widely cultivated for its narrow aromatic leaves and spikes of lilac-purple flowers which are dried and used in sachets and from which is extracted an aromatic oil used chiefly in perfumery
b
: any of several plants congeneric with true lavender and used similarly but often considered inferior
2
: a pale purple

lavender

2 of 2

verb

lavendered; lavendering ˈla-vən-d(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce lavender (audio)

transitive verb

: to sprinkle or perfume with lavender

Examples of lavender in a Sentence

Noun a small cloth bag filled with lavender
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
For summer-flowering perennials that provide plenty of nectar, consider rudbeckia, purple coneflower, bee balm, milkweed and penstemon, as well as some non-native plants such as catmint and lavender. Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2026 Meanwhile, their daughter, Poppy, 11, is wandering through fields of French lavender, armed with a walkie-talkie, keeping an eye out for snakes, searching for peacocks, and hoping to run into her grandmother, who lives on the property. Ingrid Abramovitch, Architectural Digest, 22 May 2026
Verb
This mint produces a nice scent with small white to lavender flowers. Lauren David, Southern Living, 4 May 2026 These include wild keta salmon bites, shrimp curry, strawberry lavender superseed cereal, maple cream cookies—and, yes, maple syrup. Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 3 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lavender

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English lavendre, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin lavandula

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1820, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lavender was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lavender.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lavender. Accessed 23 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

lavender

noun
lav·​en·​der
ˈlav-ən-dər
1
a
: a Mediterranean mint widely cultivated for its narrow somewhat woolly leaves and stalks of small sweet-smelling pale violet flowers compare sea lavender
b
: the dried leaves and flowers of lavender used to perfume clothes and bed linen
2
: a pale purple

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