heather

¹

[ heth-er ]

noun

1. any of various heaths, especially Calluna vulgaris, of England and Scotland, having small, pinkish-purple flowers.

adjective

1. (of a yarn or fabric color) subtly flecked or mottled:

   all-cotton turtlenecks in your choice of five solid colors plus heather gray and heather green.

Heather

²

[ heth-er ]

noun

1. a female given name.

heather

/ ˈhɛðə /

noun

1. Also calledlingheath a low-growing evergreen Eurasian ericaceous shrub, Calluna vulgaris, that grows in dense masses on open ground and has clusters of small bell-shaped typically pinkish-purple flowers
2. any of certain similar plants
3. a purplish-red to pinkish-purple colour

adjective

1. of a heather colour
2. of or relating to interwoven yarns of mixed colours

   heather mixture

Derived Forms

• ˈheathered, adjective
• ˈheathery, adjective

Other Words From

• heathered adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of heather¹

1300–50; spelling variant of hether, earlier hedder, hadder, hather, Middle English hathir; akin to heath

Word History and Origins

Origin of heather¹

C14: originally Scottish and Northern English, probably from heath

Example Sentences

Images show areas of rough covered in heather, with the course perched on the beach, yards from the North Sea.

From BBC

There is one spot he likes near Muggleswick where he can lie on his back among the heather and watch the red kites soar above him.

From BBC

Muirburn is the burning of vegetation to encourage new heather growth for grouse and other animals to feed on.

From BBC

If you are growing acid-loving plants like blueberries, heathers, hollies and rhododendrons, they will not appreciate the addition of wood ash.

From Seattle Times

Up in the hills in the heather he discovers a square where his ancestors would have cut peat for their fires.

From BBC

Related Words

• drab
• dusty
• grey
• silvery