wintergreen

American  

[win-ter-green] / ˈwɪn tərˌgrin /

noun

1. Also called checkerberry.  a small, creeping, evergreen shrub, Gaultheria procumbens, of the heath family, common in eastern North America, having white, nodding, bell-shaped flowers, a bright-red, berrylike fruit, and aromatic leaves that yield a volatile oil.

2. the oil of this shrub; wintergreen oil; methyl salicylate.

3. the flavor of oil of wintergreen or something flavored with it.

4. any of various other plants of the same genus.

5. any of various small evergreen herbs of the genera Pyrola and Chimaphila.

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wintergreen British  

/ ˈwɪntəˌɡriːn /

noun

1. Also called: boxberry.   checkerberry.   teaberry.   spiceberry.   partridgeberry.  any of several evergreen ericaceous shrubs of the genus Gaultheria, esp G. procumbens, of E North America, which has white bell-shaped flowers and edible red berries

2. an aromatic compound, formerly made from this and various other plants but now synthesized: used medicinally and for flavouring

3. Usual US name: shinleaf.  any of various plants of the genus Pyrola, such as P. minor ( common wintergreen ), of temperate and arctic regions, having rounded leaves and small pink globose flowers: family Pyrolaceae

4. any of several plants of the genera Orthilia and Moneses: family Pyrolaceae

5. a primulaceous plant, Trientalis europaea, of N Europe and N Asia, having white flowers and leaves arranged in a whorl

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Etymology

Origin of wintergreen

1540–50; translation of Dutch wintergroen or German Wintergrün

Example Sentences

I caught a whiff of peppermint Or was it wintergreen?

From Washington Post • Aug. 18, 2022

It’s made with a blend of water and natural plant oils, has a refreshing wintergreen scent, and comes packaged in a nonaerosol, biodegradable spray bottle.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 1, 2021

It bars the sale of flavors including - but not limited to -“fruit, chocolate, vanilla, honey, candy, cocoa, dessert, alcoholic beverage, menthol, mint, wintergreen, herb, or spice.”

From Washington Times • Jan. 22, 2021

For two quarts of ice cream I had like around 2 teaspoons of peppermint and 2 teaspoons of spearmint and 1 teaspoon of wintergreen.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 27, 2016

A few ears of ripe new corn, blueberries, and a strong tea of wintergreen made the rest of the feast.

From "The Birchbark House" by Louise Erdrich