pansy

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a small garden plant of the violet family with rounded, often multicolored petals

   A pale pansy with dark markings grew at the edge of the flower bed.

2. 2
   noun

   an offensive, old-fashioned slur for a gay man or a man regarded as weak or effeminate

   The editor removed pansy from the dialogue because it was being used as an offensive slur.

From Middle French pensee ("thought"), the name of the flower, from penser ("to think"). The flower was associated with remembrance or a thoughtful face. English pansy first named the plant; the insulting senses developed much later and are now offensive and old-fashioned.

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