heather

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See also: Heather

English[edit]

heather (Calluna vulgaris)

Alternative forms[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Middle English hather, hathir, from Old English *hǣddre and hǣþ (“heather”), cognate with Scots hedder, hadder, heddir (“heather”), Saterland Frisian Heede (“heather”), West Frisian heide (“heather”), Dutch heide (“heather”), German Low German Heide, Heid (“heather”), German Heide (“heather”).

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

heather (countable and uncountable, plural heathers)

  1. An evergreen plant, Calluna vulgaris, with spiky leaves and small purple, pink, or white flowers.
    • 1947 January and February, O. S. Nock, “"The Aberdonian" in Wartime”, in Railway Magazine, page 9:
      The cutting sides were gay with heather in bloom, and masses of dainty Scots bluebells, while patches of clear sky overhead were bringing life and colour to the sea.
  2. A plant in the family Ericaceae.
  3. Various species of the genus Erica.
  4. Various species of the genus Cassiope.
  5. A purple colour with a tint of pink and blue.
    heather:  
  6. (textiles) The use of interwoven yarns of mixed colours to produce flecks.

Synonyms[edit]

  • (Calluna vulgaris): ling

Derived terms[edit]

Terms derived from heather (noun)

Related terms[edit]

Translations[edit]

See also[edit]

other terms of interest

Adjective[edit]

heather (not comparable)

  1. Of a purple colour with a tint of pink and blue.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Meredith, L. P. (1872) “Heather”, in Every-Day Errors of Speech‎[1], Philadelphia: J.P. Lippincott & Co., page 24.

Further reading[edit]

Anagrams[edit]

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