LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · femininefirst declension

viola

viola f (genitive violae)
Classical[ˈwi.ɔ.ɫa]Ecclesiastical[ˈviː.o.la]

Meaning

  1. feminineviolet, especially Viola odorata
  2. femininewallflower, especially Erysimum cheiri

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativeviolaviolae
genitiveviolaeviolārum
dativeviolaeviolīs
accusativeviolamviolās
ablativeviolāviolīs
vocativeviolaviolae

vĭŏla, ae, f. dim. Gr. ἴον,
I. the violet, the stock-gillyflower.
I. Lit., Plin. 21, 6, 14, § 27; 21, 11, 38, § 64; Verg. E. 2, 47; 10, 39. —Collect.: an tu me in violā putabas aut in rosā dicere? Cic. Tusc. 5, 26, 73 al.—
II. A violet color, violet, Hor. C. 3, 10, 14; id. Ep. 2, 1, 207; Plin. 34, 12, 32, § 124; 37, 9, 40, § 121.

Origins

Related to Ancient Greek ἴον (íon, “violet”) (from ϝίον). Probably from a pre-I.E. Mediterranean substrate language. See also Middle Persian wnpšk'.

Descendants
  • Catalanviola
  • Occitanviòla
  • Englishviola
  • Englishviolet
  • Frenchviolette
  • Frenchviolet
  • Italianviola
  • Italianvioletta
  • Romanianvioară
  • Romanianviolă

In English words that came into English from viola

  • violetviola
  • violaviola
  • violaceousviolāceus
  • violescentviola

Quick answers

What does viola mean in Latin?
viola, a noun, means “violet, especially Viola odorata; wallflower, especially Erysimum cheiri”.
What is the genitive of viola?
The genitive singular is violae. viola is feminine, first declension.
How do you pronounce viola?
In classical Latin, [ˈwi.ɔ.ɫa]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈviː.o.la].
Which English words come from viola?
English words that go back to Latin viola include violet, viola, violescent and violaceous.