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Dame's violet

Dame's violet

9.2
A plant that lives several years with sweet flowers that smell stronger in the evening
  • noun
translation icon : violeta de dama
  • I could smell the sweet scent of Dame's violet as dusk approached.

Examples

  • Wild Dame's violet has spread through woodlands and roadsides in this region.

  • The garden looked beautiful in spring with clusters of Dame's violet along the borders.

  • Look at the lovely Dame's violet!

  • The Dame's violet blooms beautifully.

  • As the sun set, the air filled with the delightful fragrance of Dame's violet in the garden.

  • During our evening stroll, we admired the clusters of Dame's violet that brightened the park.

  • In late spring, the charming purple blossoms of Dame's violet can be seen in many local gardens.

Synonyms

sweet rocket
vsDame's violet
  • UK
1 8.9

A tall garden plant with strong sweet-smelling purple or white flowers that smell at night

is the other traditional common name for the same species
Hesperis matronalis
vsDame's violet
  • Specialized
9.9

A plant from Europe and Asia that grows in gardens and wild places with sweet-smelling purple or white flowers

is the common everyday name used for the same plant
damask violet
vsDame's violet
8.8

A tall garden plant with sweet smelling flowers that become stronger in the evening

is a general perennial plant rather than emphasizing tall growth

How Fragrant

jasmine
51 2.7
rose
469 1.0
Dame's violet
9.2
marigold
11 2.4
poppy
37 1.3

Surface Forms

Dame's violet singular

Morphology

Dame's + violet

The phrase is a straightforward possessive noun phrase: 'Dame's' (possessive of 'dame') + 'violet' (a kind of flower), so a B1 learner who knows both words will infer it denotes a type of violet/flower associated with or named after a dame. Although botanical names can be technically inaccurate (this species is not a true Viola), the basic idea 'a violet-like plant' is directly derivable from the constituents and cross-linguistically transparent.

Etymology

Dame's violet gets its name from the word dame, meaning 'lady', and from its violet-like flowers. People often planted these sweet-smelling flowers by their homes and the scent is strongest in the 'evening', so the name helps you remember a lady's evening-scented flower.