peppermint
Americannoun
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peppermints
plural
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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
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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.
See Examples For:
Anima Mundi’s “main cool down blend,” as she described it, contains lemongrass, hibiscus, peppermint and orange peel.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
For a bargain option, check out Trader Joe's Well Rested Herbal Tea, which touts chamomile, spearmint, peppermint, blackberry leaves, and rosebuds.
From Salon ● Apr. 18, 2025
"You immediately feel unsafe," Hannah tells me, eyes wide as she grips a mug of peppermint tea in her living room.
From BBC ● Feb. 8, 2025
The aromas the team tested on participants were vanilla, almond, lemon, lemon myrtle, eucalyptus, peppermint, vinegar and lemongrass.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 18, 2024
I stick one of the candies in my mouth, feeling the peppermint melt on my tongue, and realize it’s the first thing I’ve eaten all day.
From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins
Her connection to them was obvious at the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation’s summer farm here when she had Brickbat and My Teddy Bear — former racehorses — curtsying to her for peppermints and nuzzles.
From New York Times ● Aug. 31, 2021
He texted Kelly, asking if she had peppermints to try to curb the discomfort.
From Washington Post ● Nov. 20, 2020
He buys Rice Krispies bars for the kids and keeps peppermints on hand for sore throats and upset tummies.
From Washington Times ● Dec. 3, 2016
I took handfuls of Dum Dum pops, peppermints, butterscotch and those strawberry candies with the gooey middle that grandmothers always have.
From Salon ● Jan. 5, 2013
We suck on peppermints as I brush her soft blond hair back behind her ear.
From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins
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.
