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lavandula
Medieval Latin · medieval
"relating to washing"
possibly from lavare (to wash), since the fragrant plant was used in washing water
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Stage 2 of 3
lavendre
Old French · medieval
"the lavender plant"
carried into French for the fragrant purple-flowered plant
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Stage 3 of 3
lavender
English · 1300s
"a fragrant plant, or its pale purple color"
settled as the English word for the plant and its pale purple color
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