pervenche

See also: pèrvenche

French

Etymology

From Late Latin pervinca, in vinca pervinca (“periwinkle”), apparently originally a magical formula. Traffic wardens are so called from the colour of their uniforms.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pɛʁ.vɑ̃ʃ/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

pervenche f (plural pervenches)

1. periwinkle
2. female traffic warden, meter maid (US)

Derived terms

• grande pervenche
• pervenche de Madagascar
• petite pervenche

 

Further reading

• “pervenche” in Émile Littré, Dictionnaire de la langue française, 1872–1877.
• “pervenche”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.