African violet

noun

1. a popular house plant, Saintpaulia ionantha, of the gesneriad family, having hairy leaves and showy violet, pink, or white flowers.

African violet

noun

1. any of several tropical African plants of the genus Saintpaulia, esp S. ionantha, cultivated as house plants, with violet, white, or pink flowers and hairy leaves: family Gesneriaceae

Word History and Origins

Origin of African violet¹

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

“This African violet is almost dead. Louise would be humiliated if she knew.”

From Literature

This is a more elegant and wild looking African violet that pops out never ending successions of white flowers with delicately painted violet throats.

From The Guardian

Harding and Doang think the African violet and begonia varieties will be hot this fall.

From Seattle Times

Liverpool are in the same purple/African violet away kit their players wore against Arsenal again.

From The Guardian

A sea of women wearing black, many with African violet corsages and pearl necklaces lead a procession into the rotunda of the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.

From Seattle Times