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Glite Dictionary
Majorana hortensis

Majorana hortensis

7.8
An aromatic herb like oregano from the Mediterranean used to flavor food
  • noun
translation icon : Majorana hortensis
  • The leaves of Majorana hortensis are frequently dried and added to spice blends.

Examples

  • Gardeners sometimes grow Majorana hortensis for both its culinary uses and fragrant aroma.

  • I love using Majorana hortensis in my pasta dishes.

  • Majorana hortensis is often used in Mediterranean cuisine to add a subtle, sweet flavor to dishes.

  • Have you ever tried cooking with Majorana hortensis?

  • Majorana hortensis is a key ingredient in many Italian recipes, providing a gentle herbal note.

  • When making a pizza sauce, I always include Majorana hortensis for its aromatic flavor.

  • Cooks often enhance their roasted vegetables by seasoning them with Majorana hortensis.

Synonyms

marjoram
vsMajorana hortensis
3 6.5

An herb with small leaves like oregano used to add flavor to food

emphasizes Mediterranean origin and a traditional name over leaf detail
sweet marjoram
vsMajorana hortensis
6.9

A fragrant herb with small leaves used to flavor food

focuses mainly on culinary use rather than medicinal use
Origanum majorana
vsMajorana hortensis
  • Specialized
8.3

A small herb with a mild sweet taste and pleasant smell used in cooking

is more about cooking use than medical use

Surface Forms

Majorana hortensis singular
Majorana hortensises plural

Morphology

Majorana + hortensis

This is a taxonomic binomial combining the genus name Majorana (an herb) with the specific epithet hortensis, so a learner who knows both parts could infer it names a plant in the Majorana group. However, the epithet is specialist Latin and the exact identification as 'sweet marjoram' and its culinary usage are not fully predictable from the parts by a B1 learner without exposure, so the transparency is partial.

Etymology

Majorana hortensis comes from Latin words: Majorana is the marjoram name and hortensis means 'of the garden'. So the name says it is the marjoram people grow in gardens and use for cooking.