Emily Dickinson Lexicon

PER'I-WIN-KLE, n. [Sax: peruince; It. pervinca; Fr. pervenche; L. vinca; Sax. wincle, a shell fish. If n is casual, vinca may be and probably is the W. gwic, for wic, a squeak, whence gwiciad, a periwinkle.]

1. A sea snail, or small shell fish.
2. A plant of the genus Vince.