peppermint
UK /ˈpɛpəˌmɪnt/ · US /ˈpɛpɚˌmɪnt/ noun
Forms peppermints
- noun A hybrid herb of the mint family (Mentha × piperita), formed by crossing watermint and spearmint, which has a high menthol content and a sharp flavor and is used in cooking, especially in herb teas and in confections.
- noun (Australia) Any of various eucalypts of southeastern Australia whose leaves yield peppermint-like essential oils.
- noun (countable) Any of various sweets containing extract of the peppermint herb; peppermint confectionery.
Synonyms
Mentha piperita red gum peppermint gum Eucalyptus amygdalina peppermint candy
Etymology
From pepper + mint.
Webster’s 1913
- noun An aromatic and pungent plant of the genus Mentha (M. piperita), much used in medicine and confectionery.
- noun A volatile oil (oil of peppermint) distilled from the fresh herb; also, a well-known essence or spirit (essence of peppermint) obtained from it.
Etymology [Pepper + mint.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “peppermint”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details