heather

English Online Dictionary. What means heather‎? What does heather mean?

English

Alternative forms

• hadder (dialectal)
• hether, hather (obsolete)

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”).

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈhɛðɚ/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈhɛðə/
• (obsolete) IPA^(key): /ˈhiːðəɹ/
• Rhymes: -ɛðə(ɹ)
• Hyphenation: heath‧er

Noun

heather (countable and uncountable, plural heathers)

1. An evergreen plant, Calluna vulgaris, with spiky leaves and small purple, pink, or white flowers.
2. A plant in the family Ericaceae.
3. Various species of the genus Erica.
4. Various species of the genus Cassiope.
5. A purple colour with a tint of pink and blue.

6. (textiles) The use of interwoven yarns of mixed colours to produce flecks.

Synonyms

• (Calluna vulgaris): ling

Derived terms

Related terms

• heath

Translations

See also

• Appendix:Colors

Adjective

heather (not comparable)

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

References

Further reading

• heather on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Ericaceae on Wikispecies.Wikispecies
• Category:Ericaceae on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons

Anagrams

• heareth