peppermint
Americannoun
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an herb, Mentha piperita, of the mint family, cultivated for its aromatic, pungent oil.
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Also called peppermint oil. this oil, or a preparation made from it.
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a lozenge or confection flavored with peppermint.
noun
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a temperate mint plant, Mentha piperita, with purple or white flowers: cultivated for its downy leaves, which yield a pungent oil
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the oil from this plant, which is used as a flavouring
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a sweet flavoured with peppermint
Etymology
Origin of peppermint
Explanation
Peppermint is the familiar aromatic flavoring you'll find in toothpaste, gum, and those round, red and white candies that your grandmother always keeps in a little china bowl on her coffee table. Peppermint, the most common type of mint plant, has fresh, fragrant leaves, and the word peppermint is also the name of an oil extracted from those leaves. The oil and leaves of the peppermint plant are used in many products, including ice cream, tea, and shampoo. The word peppermint was coined in the 17th century, from pepper and mint, probably inspired by its "spicy," tingling flavor.
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 aromas the team tested on participants were vanilla, almond, lemon, lemon myrtle, eucalyptus, peppermint, vinegar and lemongrass.
From Science Daily • Nov. 18, 2024
Faster than you could say “candy cane,” I was saturating every squirrel-trafficked inch of our backyard using a spray bottle filled with 100% peppermint essential oil.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 26, 2024
Then I dab some peppermint oil on my temples and the pain goes away immediately.
From Seattle Times • Mar. 13, 2024
He added many supplements have “antibacterial properties,” like garlic, peppermint, berberine and probiotics, which could treat bacterial overgrowth, but don't have the scientific evidence to support them.
From Salon • Feb. 3, 2024
The office smelled like peppermint and rubbing alcohol.
From "Louisiana's Way Home" by Kate DiCamillo
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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.