myrtle

¹

[ mur-tl ]

noun

1. 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. Compare myrtle family.
2. any of certain unrelated plants, as the periwinkle, Vinca minor, and California laurel, Umbellularia californica.
3. Also called myr·tle·wood [mur, -tl-w, oo, d]. the hard, golden-brown wood of the California laurel.
4. Also called myrtle green. dark green with bluish tinge.

Myrtle

²

[ mur-tl ]

noun

1. a female given name.

myrtle

/ ˈmɜːtəl /

noun

1. 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
2. See crape myrtle
   short for crape myrtle
3. See sweet gale
   bog myrtle another name for sweet gale
4. See periwinkle
   creeping myrtle
   creeping myrtletrailing myrtle another name for periwinkle 2

Word History and Origins

Origin of myrtle¹

1350–1400; Middle English mirtile < Medieval Latin myrtillus, equivalent to Latin myrt ( us ) (< Greek mýrtos ) + New Latin -illus diminutive suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of myrtle¹

C16: from Medieval Latin myrtilla, from Latin myrtus, from Greek murtos

Example Sentences

Around age 14, he got a letter from a little-known sister, Myrtle, telling him their mother had died the previous week.

From Washington Post

Traffic up ahead on Myrtle backed up, and Johnson began weaving in and out.

From The Daily Beast

They were racing toward the corner of Tompkins and Myrtle avenues with Johnson at the wheel when another call came over the radio.

From The Daily Beast

And suddenly, your dad is ranting about socialism while Aunt Myrtle lectures your sister about the ho-mo-sex-ual agenda.

From The Daily Beast

In 1987, Myrtle Young came on The Tonight Show to show off her rare collection of potato chips.

From The Daily Beast

Myrtle Beach Tea Party leader Joe Dugan was one of those who said his attention is elsewhere.

From The Daily Beast

Then her cheeks began to pale, till they were tinged like the creamy plumes of the white crepe myrtle that grew in the ruin.

From Project Gutenberg

But she gazes beyond the salon, back into the big dining hall, where the white crepe myrtle grows.

From Project Gutenberg

Myrtle, youre looking as fresh as the first roses, said King OLeary artfully.

From Project Gutenberg

But Lady Myrtle Goodacre has never seen fit to call upon me, so it is all of a piece.

From Project Gutenberg

Lady Myrtle smiled, and gave a little pat to Frances's shining tangle of curly hair.

From Project Gutenberg