pimpernel
/ˈpɪmpənɛl/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.20 in modern English
15
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
3
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
Any of various plants of the genus Anagallis, having small red, white or purple flowers, especially the scarlet pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis).
noun
Sanguisorba spp.
noun
Sanguisorba spp.
noun
Someone resembling the fictional Scarlet Pimpernel; a gallant dashing resourceful man given to remarkable feats of bravery and derring-do in liberating victims of tyranny and injustice.
Example Sentences
- "Common Pimpernel has diverse weak square stalks lying on the ground, beset all along with two small and almost round leaves at every joint [...]."
- "Pimpernel (poor man's weather glass) was also a protection, but as the gatherer collected the herbs, he must chant a certain incantation and continue to do so twice a day for 15 days[.]"
- "Lined up solidly with the Pimpernels and with the persecuted."
Etymology
From Anglo-Norman pimpernele et al., Middle French pimpinelle (“burnet saxifrage”) et al., from Medieval Latin pimpinella, pipinella, most likely from piper (“pepper”) because its fruit resembled peppercorns, although variants may suggest other derivations, bipinnella the bipennis (“two-winged”).
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: pimpernele, pimpinelle, pimpinella
Regional Pronunciation
- British English: /ˈpɪmpənɛl/