: any of a genus (Littorina) of edible littoral marine snails
also: any of various similar or related marine snails
b
: any of several North American freshwater snails
Illustration of periwinkle
periwinkle a
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
Middle English perwinke, from Old English perwince, from Vulgar Latin *pervinca, short for Latin vincapervinca
Noun (2)
Middle English *periwinkle, alteration of Old English pīnewincle, from Latin pina, a kind of mussel (from Greek) + Old English -wincle (akin to Danish vincle snail shell)
First Known Use
Noun (1)
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1