| 释义 |
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024pim•per•nel (pim′pər nel′, -nl),USA pronunciation n. - Plant Biologya plant belonging to the genus Anagallis, of the primrose family, esp. A. arvensis (scarlet pimpernel,) having scarlet or white flowers that close at the approach of bad weather.
- Late Latin pipīnella, syncopated variant of *piperīnella
- Late Latin *piperīnella, equivalent. to piper pepper + -īn- -ine1 + -ella diminutive suffix; replacing Old English pipeneale
- Middle French pimprenelle, nasalized variant of Old French piprenelle
- late Middle English pympernele 1400–50
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: pimpernel /ˈpɪmpəˌnɛl -nəl/ n - any of several plants of the primulaceous genus Anagallis, such as the scarlet pimpernel, typically having small star-shaped flowers
- any of several similar and related plants, such as Lysimachia nemorum (yellow pimpernel)
Etymology: 15th Century: from Old French pimpernelle, ultimately from Latin piper pepper; compare Old English pipeneale |