peppermint

[ pep-er-mint, -muhnt ]

noun

1. an herb, Mentha piperita, of the mint family, cultivated for its aromatic, pungent oil.
2. Also called peppermint oil. this oil, or a preparation made from it.
3. a lozenge or confection flavored with peppermint.

peppermint

/ ˈpɛpəˌmɪnt /

noun

1. a temperate mint plant, Mentha piperita, with purple or white flowers: cultivated for its downy leaves, which yield a pungent oil
2. the oil from this plant, which is used as a flavouring
3. a sweet flavoured with peppermint

Word History and Origins

Origin of peppermint¹

First recorded in 1690–1700; pepper + mint ¹

Example Sentences

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

Nearby is the burgundy drum kit used by Radiohead to record its 1997 breakthrough album, “OK Computer,” sitting only inches from a peppermint candy-swirled set of drums from the White Stripes.

From Los Angeles Times

Menthol is a naturally occurring cyclic monoterpene alcohol found in various plants, particularly in members of the mint family such as peppermint and spearmint.

From Science Daily

In the next few days he discovered additional sources of nourishment: groundnuts, mulberries, wild mustard, wild onions, new kinds of mushrooms, spearmint, peppermint, and milkweed.

From Literature

Then I dab some peppermint oil on my temples and the pain goes away immediately.

From Seattle Times