bergamot
Americannoun
-
a small citrus tree, Citrus aurantium bergamia, having fruit with a rind that yields a fragrant essential oil.
-
Also called essence of bergamot. the oil or essence itself.
-
any of various plants of the mint family, as Monarda fistulosa, yielding an oil resembling essence of bergamot.
-
a variety of pear.
noun
-
Also called: bergamot orange. a small Asian spiny rutaceous tree, Citrus bergamia , having sour pear-shaped fruit
-
a fragrant essential oil from the fruit rind of this plant, used in perfumery and some teas (including Earl Grey)
-
a Mediterranean mint, Mentha citrata , that yields an oil similar to essence of bergamot
-
-
a North American plant, Monarda fistulosa , with clusters of purple flowers: family Lamiaceae (labiates)
-
a garden plant of the same genus, usually M. didyma (bee balm), grown for its scarlet or pink flowers
-
-
a variety of pear
Etymology
Origin of bergamot
1610–20; < French bergamote < Italian bergamotta < Ottoman Turkish; compare Mod Turkish bey armudlu literally, bey's pear ( bey bey + armut pear (< Persian ) + -u 3rd-person singular possessive suffix); Italian form perhaps by association with Bergamo, Bergama, with -otta as alteration to a familiar suffix; the citrus apparently so called from its resemblance to the pear
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The perfume industry has long relied on a small number of scents, like jasmine, rose or bergamot.
From New York Times ● Apr. 20, 2023
I was particularly intrigued because Earl Grey happens to be my favorite variety, featuring black tea leaves flavored with oil of bergamot, a fragrant citrus fruit native to Italy.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 17, 2023
Can you tell me how effective bergamot is for lowering LDL cholesterol and triglycerides?
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 25, 2023
Their Sandlewood Silked Waves candle depicts a person wearing a durag on its label and is scented with vanilla, honeysuckle, bergamot and floral lavender.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2022
In the heat of late summer, the scent of her bergamot hair pomade was like sweet, sun-hot oranges.
From "Root Magic" by Eden Royce
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
