Pansy

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈpæn.zi/

Definitions

1. A small flowering plant with velvety petals in various colors, or a person regarded as weak or effeminate
2. A type of ornamental plant known for its vibrant, soft petals and a term used to describe someone perceived as cowardly or lacking toughness
3. This flowering herb features colorful blossoms admired in gardens, while also serving as slang for an individual seen as frail or overly sensitive

Etymology: The flower gets its name from the French for "thought." Middle French "pensée" meant thought or reflection, and the pansy's drooping head, which seems to bow in contemplation, gave the plant its English name. The word is a doublet of "pensée," meaning the two forms came into English along separate routes from the same source, with "pansy" the older, more anglicised descendant that settled into common use for the flower. The insult sense is a later extension. Once the flower was known for its soft, delicate petals, "pansy" came to describe a person seen as gentle, timid or lacking toughness, and that figurative use is what the modern word now most often signals.

Synonyms: flower, violet

Antonyms: masculine