VIOLA

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does Viola mean? 

• VIOLA (noun)
  The noun VIOLA has 3 senses:

1. any of the numerous plants of the genus Viola

2. large genus of flowering herbs of temperate regions

3. a bowed stringed instrument slightly larger than a violin, tuned a fifth lower

  Familiarity information: VIOLA used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• VIOLA (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Any of the numerous plants of the genus Viola

Classified under:

Nouns denoting plants

Hypernyms ("viola" is a kind of...):

herb; herbaceous plant (a plant lacking a permanent woody stem; many are flowering garden plants or potherbs; some having medicinal properties; some are pests)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "viola"):

violet (any of numerous low-growing violas with small flowers)

field pansy; heartsease; Viola arvensis (common Old World viola with creamy often violet-tinged flowers)

horned violet; tufted pansy; Viola cornuta (European viola with an unusually long corolla spur)

pansy; Viola tricolor hortensis (large-flowered garden plant derived chiefly from the wild pansy of Europe and having velvety petals of various colors)

heartsease; Johnny-jump-up; love-in-idleness; pink of my John; Viola tricolor; wild pansy (a common and long cultivated European herb from which most common garden pansies are derived)

Holonyms ("viola" is a member of...):

genus Viola; Viola (large genus of flowering herbs of temperate regions)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Large genus of flowering herbs of temperate regions

Classified under:

Nouns denoting plants

Synonyms:

genus Viola; Viola

Hypernyms ("Viola" is a kind of...):

dilleniid dicot genus (genus of more or less advanced dicotyledonous trees and shrubs and herbs)

Meronyms (members of "Viola"):

viola (any of the numerous plants of the genus Viola)

Holonyms ("Viola" is a member of...):

family Violaceae; Violaceae; violet family (a family of order Parietales including the genera Viola, Hybanthus, Hymenanthera, Melicytus)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A bowed stringed instrument slightly larger than a violin, tuned a fifth lower

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("viola" is a kind of...):

bowed stringed instrument; string (stringed instruments that are played with a bow)

 Context examples 

"I prefer the lovering part. Viola and Angelo are two of our favorite names, isn't that queer?" said Meg, wiping her eyes, for the lovering part was tragical.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)