1 an evergreen shrub, Calluna vulgaris, with purple bell-shaped flowers.
2 any of various shrubs of the genus Erica or Daboecia, growing esp. on moors and heaths.
Phrases and idioms:
heather mixture
1 a fabric of mixed hues supposed to resemble heather.
2 the colour of this.
Derivatives:
heathery adj.
Etymology: ME, Sc., & N.Engl. hathir etc., of unkn. orig.: assim. to heath
Useful english dictionary. 2012.