violet
/vjɔ.lɛ/
The French word for the color violet is violet.
violet is used to refer to the color violet. To specify the shade, you can use violet foncé for dark violet or violet clair for light violet.
Meaning: colour (noun)
Which one should you use?
While violet refers to the color, the word violette refers specifically to the violet flower. Additionally, Violette is used as a female given name.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When using violet as an adjective to describe multiple objects, it takes an 's' to become violets.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 2 syllables and is pronounced /vjɔ.lɛ/.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use violet to refer to the flower. Use violette instead.
Did you know?
- In French, the word violette is not just a flower but also a common flavor for candies and syrups, which is far more prevalent in France than in English-speaking countries.
- The French word for the color violet is actually a back-formation from the name of the flower, violette.
- In traditional French floral language, giving a violette signifies modesty and humility, a cultural meaning that persists in older literature.
Examples in context
- Le livre est violet.The book is violet.This sentence shows how to use violet to describe the color of an object.Tatoeba #7919923 by hennebert, translation #5256998 by solejar
- La demoiselle est modeste comme une violette.The young lady is modest like a violet.This sentence uses the flower name violette in a comparison.Tatoeba #956104 by sacredceltic, translation #3657493 by kerbear407
- Si tu mélanges du bleu et du rouge, tu obtiens du violet.If you mix blue and red, you get violet.This sentence demonstrates how to describe the result of mixing colors using violet.Tatoeba #12454822 by lbdx, translation #1444709 by Eldad
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Emma are shopping for home decor.
- LucasEst-ce que tu aimes ce coussin violet ?Do you like this violet cushion?
- EmmaOui, il est très joli.Yes, it is very pretty.
- LucasOn l'achète pour le salon ?Should we buy it for the living room?
- EmmaOui, il irait parfaitement avec le canapé.Yes, it would go perfectly with the sofa.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “violet” translations and entries violet, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries violet, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
