any plant of the genus Myrtus, especially M. communis, a shrub of southern Europe having evergreen leaves, fragrant white flowers, and aromatic berries: anciently held sacred to Venus and used as an emblem of love.
any of certain unrelated plants, as the periwinkle, Vinca minor, and California laurel, Umbellularia californica.
Also called myrtlewood. the hard, golden-brown wood of the California laurel.
Also called myrtle green. dark green with bluish tinge.
any evergreen shrub or tree of the myrtaceous genus Myrtus, esp M. communis, a S European shrub with pink or white flowers and aromatic blue-black berries
short for crape myrtle
bog myrtle another name for sweet gale
another name for periwinkle 2
1350–1400; Middle English mirtile < Medieval Latin myrtillus, equivalent to Latin myrt ( us ) (< Greek mýrtos ) + New Latin -illus diminutive suffix
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He used AI to design a drone with LED lasers to kill myrtle spurge, an invasive weed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026
Served alongside native beach succulent, these Asian-style dumplings come topped with sesame seeds and a gochujang anise myrtle dressing.
From Salon ● Aug. 30, 2026
Her bridal bouquet included sweet peas, myrtle – a tradition in Ms Sperling's family and for the Royal Family – and lily of the valley.
From BBC ● Jun. 7, 2026
Rather than basing the one-sheet around Lee Byung Hun’s scheming, murderous Man-su, she emphasized a blooming crape myrtle tree, a reference to the protagonist’s garden.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 9, 2025
In that sorrowful but lovely spot, shaded with groves of myrtle, Aeneas caught sight of Dido.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
Marlene Blaylock of Myrtle Beach felt confident because she had inherited her staff from her brother.
From Slate ● Aug. 25, 2026
The money is still missing, and the fallout is rippling through the tourist enclave of about 4,300 year-rounders, a place known as the “Family Beach” for its laid-back contrast to nearby Myrtle Beach.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
And in Myrtle Beach, S.C., officials instituted an “umbrellas-only rule” from Memorial Day through Labor Day citing safety.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 5, 2026
He also founded the Myrtle Peach Trust Charity for the prevention and treatment of cervical and ovarian cancer.
From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2026
Myrtle gave a howl of rage and dived back into the toilet, causing water to slop over the sides and onto the floor.
From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
