mignonette

the word mignonette is a direct borrowing from french, where it is the diminutive form of 'mignon', meaning small and delicate. the suffix '-ette' is added to create a term for a smaller or daintier version of something, in this case, applied to a plant with small, delicate flowers. the french 'mignon' itself traces back to old french 'mignot', possibly of frankish origin, related to ideas of tenderness and grace. the term entered english in the 18th century, primarily referring to the fragrant plant, with the color sense developing later from the characteristic hue of its flowers.

Structure: mignon (small, delicate) + ette (diminutive suffix) mignon (from french, meaning small, delicate, cute); ette (a french diminutive suffix, often used to form nouns indicating a smaller or feminine version).