pimpernel
|pim-per-nel|
🇺🇸
/ˈpɪmpərnəl/
🇬🇧
/ˈpɪmpənəl/
small red flower; secret rescuer
Etymology
'pimpernel' originates from Middle French, specifically the word 'pimpernelle', where the element 'pimper-' is of uncertain/original origin (the exact roots are unclear).
'pimpernel' passed into Middle English from Middle French 'pimpernelle' and through usage and spelling changes eventually became the modern English 'pimpernel'.
Initially it referred to the plant (Anagallis arvensis); over time, influenced by Baroness Orczy's title character 'The Scarlet Pimpernel', it also came to mean a person who rescues others secretly.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a small flowering plant (Anagallis arvensis), typically with red or orange flowers; commonly called the scarlet pimpernel.
The field was dotted with tiny red pimpernels.
Synonyms
Noun 2
a person who performs daring rescues or helps others while keeping their identity secret; from the literary character 'The Scarlet Pimpernel'.
He became known as a modern pimpernel for smuggling refugees to safety under cover of night.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Idioms
Last updated: 2025/08/17 08:32