Webster's English Dictionary

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periwinkle

1. per.i.win.kle \'per-i-.win-k*l\ n [ME perwinke, fr. OE perwince, fr. L 
   pervinca] : any of several trailing or woody evergreen herbs (genus Vinca) 
   of  the dogbane family; esp : a European creeper (V. minor) widely 
   cultivated as a ground cover and for its blue or white flowers
2. periwinkle n [(assumed) ME, alter. of OE pi-newincle, fr. L pina, a kind 
   of m]ussel (fr. Gk) + OE -wincle (akin to Dan Vincle snail shell); akin to 
   OE wincian to wink : any of various gastropod mollusks : as  : any of a 
   genus (Littorina) of edible littoral marine snails; a lso : any of various 
   similar or related marine snails (as various American members of Thais) : 
   any of several No. American freshwater snails