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Definition of 'pansy'

COBUILD frequency band

pansy

(pænzi IPA Pronunciation Guide )
Word forms: plural pansies
1. countable noun
A pansy is a small brightly colored garden flower with large round petals.
2. countable noun
Pansy is an offensive word for a gay person.
[informal, old-fashioned, offensive]
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers

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pansy in American English

(ˈpænzi )
nounWord forms: plural pansiesOrigin: Fr pensée, fanciful extension of lit. meaning, a thought < penser, to think < L pensare: see pensive
1. 
any of various violets, esp. a popular garden hybrid (Viola tricolor hortensis), with flat, broad, velvety petals in many colors
2.  derogatory, US, slang
an effeminate man; esp., an effeminate gay man
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 5th Digital Edition. Copyright © 2025 HarperCollins Publishers.
 
COBUILD frequency band

pansy in American English

(ˈpænzi)
nounWord forms: plural -sies
1. 
a violet, Viola tricolor hortensis, cultivated in many varieties, having richly and variously colored flowers
2. 
the flower of this plant
3.  slang, derogatory, offensive
a. 
a homosexual man
b. offensive
a weak, effeminate, and often cowardly man
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019 by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Word origin
[1490–1500; 1930–35 for def. 3; ‹ MF pensée pansy, lit., thought, n. use of fem. of ptp. of penser to think ‹ L pēnsāre to weigh, consider. See pensive]
 
COBUILD frequency band

Pansy in American English

(ˈpænzi)
noun
a female given name
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019 by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
 
COBUILD frequency band

pansy in British English

(ˈpænzɪ IPA Pronunciation Guide )
nounWord forms: plural -sies
1. 
any violaceous garden plant that is a variety of Viola tricolor, having flowers with rounded velvety petals, white, yellow, or purple in colour
See also wild pansy
2.  offensive, slang
an effeminate or homosexual man or boy
3. 
a. 
a strong violet colour
b. 
(as adjective)
a pansy carpet
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin
C15: from Old French pensée thought, from penser to think, from Latin pensāre

Word lists with
pansy

flower purple

Quick word challenge

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Question: 1
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Which flower am I?
any shrub or climbing plant of the rosaceous genus Rosa, typically having prickly stems, compound leaves, and fragrant flowers
acanthus jasmine rose
Which flower am I?
any of several amaryllidaceous plants of the Eurasian genus Galanthus, esp G. nivalis, having drooping white bell-shaped flowers that bloom in early spring
love-lies-bleeding snapdragon snowdrop
Which flower am I?
any of various Eurasian liliaceous plants of the genus Muscari, esp M. botryoides, with clusters of rounded blue flowers resembling tiny grapes
grape hyacinth lavender oxtongue
Which flower am I?
any of several woodland anemone plants, esp Anemone quinquefolia of E North America and A. nemorosa of Europe, having finely divided leaves and solitary white flowers
African violet wood anemone yarrow
Which flower am I?
another name for the wild pansy
azalea love-in-idleness water lily
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Trends of
pansy

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pansy

  • panspermist
  • panspermy
  • panstick
  • pansy
  • pansy orchid
  • pant
  • pant leg

  • All ENGLISH words that begin with 'P'

Related terms of
pansy

  • wild pansy
  • pansy orchid
  • miltonia
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