heather meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

heather

noun

UK /ˈhɛðə/ · US /ˈhɛðɚ/

Etymology 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”).

An evergreen plant, Calluna vulgaris, with spiky leaves and small purple, pink, or white flowers.

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.1947 January and February, O. S. Nock, “"The Aberdonian" in Wartime”, in Railway Magazine, page 9:

A plant in the family Ericaceae.

Various species of the genus Erica.

Various species of the genus Cassiope.

A purple colour with a tint of pink and blue.

Business, Manufacturing, Textiles The use of interwoven yarns of mixed colours to produce flecks.

Synonyms: ling
Derived terms: 32 terms
American heather (Hudsonia tomentosa, beach heather, bell heather, heather-bell, common heather, double heather, false heather, goldenheather, golden heather, green heather, heather ale, heather-bleat, heather cock, heathered, heather grass, heatherless, heatherlike, heather-mixture, heather vole, heathery, mock heather, moss heather, mountain heather, Scots heather, set the heather alight, set the heather on fire, summer heather, take to the heather, tree heather, white heather, winter-flowering heather, winter heather
Related terms: heath, briar, ericaceous, hypericum, marsh andromeda, whortleberry

heather

adj

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