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.
Instead the RHS is considering trees that enjoy hotter and wetter weather, like the American river birch or crepe myrtle, or plants with deeper roots to tolerate drought like yarrow or bird’s foot.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 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
"A survival strategy starts with finding clean cuttings in the wild before myrtle rust attacks them and propagating them to grow at safe sites," he said.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 13, 2026
Meg’s had roses and heliotrope, myrtle, and a little orange tree in it.
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
The rally was held in Myrtle Beach because the area features a trove of up-for-grabs votes in the runoff.
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
I told her I had been several times to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam
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.
