Periwinkle

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

periwinkle
    n 1: chiefly trailing poisonous plants with blue flowers
    2: commonly cultivated Old World woody herb having large pinkish
       to red flowers [syn: {periwinkle}, {rose periwinkle},
       {Madagascar periwinkle}, {old maid}, {Cape periwinkle}, {red
       periwinkle}, {cayenne jasmine}, {Catharanthus roseus}, {Vinca
       rosea}]
    3: small edible marine snail; steamed in wine or baked [syn:
       {periwinkle}, {winkle}]
    4: edible marine gastropod [syn: {periwinkle}, {winkle}]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Periwinkle \Per"i*win`kle\, n. [From AS. pinewincla a shellfish,
   in which pine- is fr. L. pina, pinna, a kind of mussel, akin
   to Gr. ?. Cf. {Winkle}.] (Zool.)
   Any small marine gastropod shell of the genus {Littorina}.
   The common European species ({Littorina littorea}), in Europe
   extensively used as food, has recently become naturalized
   abundantly on the American coast. See {Littorina}.
   [1913 Webster]

   Note: In America the name is often applied to several large
         univalves, as {Fulgur carica}, and {Fulgur
         canaliculata}.
         [1913 Webster]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Periwinkle \Per"i*win`kle\, n. [OE. pervenke, AS. pervince, fr.
   L. pervinca.] (Bot.)
   A trailing herb of the genus {Vinca}.
   [1913 Webster]

   Note: The common perwinkle ({Vinca minor}) has opposite
         evergreen leaves and solitary blue or white flowers in
         their axils. In America it is often miscalled {myrtle}.
         See under {Myrtle}.
         [1913 Webster]