pennyroyal

American  

[pen-ee-roi-uhl] / ˌpɛn iˈrɔɪ əl /

noun

1. an aromatic Old World plant, Mentha pulegium, of the mint family, having clusters of small purple flowers and yielding a pungent essential oil used medicinally and as an insect repellent.

2. Also called mock pennyroyal.  a similar, related plant, Hedeoma pulegioides, of eastern North America, having bluish flowers growing from the leaf axils.

3. any of several other aromatic plants of the mint family.

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pennyroyal British  

/ ˌpɛnɪˈrɔɪəl /

noun

1. a Eurasian plant, Mentha pulegium, with hairy leaves and small mauve flowers, that yields an aromatic oil used in medicine: family Lamiaceae (labiates)

2. Also called: mock pennyroyal.  a similar and related plant, Hedeoma pulegioides, of E North America

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Etymology

Origin of pennyroyal

1520–30; penny + royal; replacing late Middle English puliol real < Anglo-French; Middle French poliol (< Latin *pūlēgiōlum, diminutive of pūlēgium pennyroyal) + real, earlier form of royal

Example Sentences

The herbs commonly used included pennyroyal and tansy.

From New York Times • Apr. 10, 2024

Residents carried around bottles of peppermint oil and pennyroyal to mask the stench.

From Washington Post • Mar. 11, 2023

However, today’s decision seems more likely to address videos promoting self-managed abortions with herbs like mugwort and pennyroyal, a practice many herbalists have warned is unreliable and can cause serious health problems.

From The Verge • Jul. 21, 2022

In the 1860s, an American suspecting a possible pregnancy may have used plants like tansy, black or blue cohosh, rue, angelica or pennyroyal to bring on bleeding.

From Slate • Jul. 18, 2022

Someone had planted a garden there, and the first plants had come up: peas, cabbage, and pennyroyal.

From "Chains" by Laurie Halse Anderson