Mentha piperita
- noun
- /ˈmɛnθə paɪˈpɛrɪtə/
- Specialized
:
menta piperita
- The essential oil extracted from Mentha piperita is widely used in candies and toothpaste.
Examples
-
Gardeners often plant Mentha piperita to enjoy its aromatic leaves and attractive flowers.
-
Research suggests that Mentha piperita tea may help soothe digestive discomfort.
-
I love the taste of Mentha piperita tea.
-
The Mentha piperita plant grows well in moist soil.
-
Many chefs use Mentha piperita to add a refreshing flavor to their dishes.
-
The oil from Mentha piperita is often used in aromatherapy to promote relaxation.
-
You can find Mentha piperita in various herbal teas for its soothing properties.
Synonyms
9
1.6
A garden herb with minty leaves used to make tea and flavor food
How Aromatic
- Specialized
- Specialized
- Specialized
- Specialized
- Specialized
Surface Forms
Morphology
Mentha + piperita
This is a Latin binomial: 'Mentha' clearly denotes the mint genus and 'piperita' is a specific epithet meaning 'peppery' (i.e., peppermint), so the compound denotes a type of mint and is compositionally related to its parts. However, 'piperita' is not a common English word and botanical Latin is specialized vocabulary, so an average B1 learner — even knowing 'Mentha' — would probably not reliably infer the exact meaning without prior exposure or knowledge of Latin naming conventions.
Etymology
Mentha piperita is the Latin name for 'peppermint'. The word Mentha means mint and piperita means 'peppery' or spicy, so the name paints the picture of a mint with a strong, sharp smell and explains why people use its oily, minty flavor in candies and toothpaste.