(Science: chemistry) Mauve aniline, a dyestuff produced artificially by the oxidation of commercial aniline, and the first discovered of the so-called coal-tar, or aniline, dyes. It consists of the sulphate of mauveine, and is a dark brown or bronze amorphous powder, which dissolves to a beatiful purple colour.
Origin: F, mallow, L. Malva. So named from the similarity of the colour to that of the petals of common mallow, Malva sylvestris. See Mallow.