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Glite Dictionary
bay myrtle

bay myrtle

9.9
An evergreen shrub or small tree with a strong smell and berries covered in white wax used to make candles
  • noun
  • /beɪ ˈmɜːrtəl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : mirto de cera
  • Early settlers used the berries of the bay myrtle to make candles for lighting their homes.

Examples

  • The aromatic leaves of the bay myrtle are sometimes used in traditional herbal remedies.

  • A row of bay myrtle bushes lines the edge of the old plantation garden.

  • I planted a bay myrtle in my garden.

  • The bay myrtle thrives in warm climates.

  • Early settlers used the berries of the bay myrtle to make candles for lighting their homes.

  • A row of bay myrtle bushes lines the edge of the old plantation garden.

  • I planted a bay myrtle in my garden.

Synonyms

wax myrtle
vsbay myrtle
  • US
1 7.9

A shrub or small tree with fragrant leaves and small berries with a shiny covering

is a specific southeastern shrub whose berries are white and used for candles
Myrica cerifera
vsbay myrtle
  • Specialized
9.9

An evergreen shrub or small tree with waxy white berries used to make candles

is the common English name used instead of the Latin term
puckerbush
vsbay myrtle
  • US
9.9

A small evergreen shrub with a strong smell and white wax berries used for candles

is the standard common name rather than the local name

Surface Forms

bay myrtle singular
bay myrtles plural

Morphology

bay + myrtle

The noun is a straightforward compound of two plant names: 'bay' + 'myrtle' denotes a myrtle species associated with or resembling bay, so the overall category (an aromatic shrub/tree) is directly inferable from the constituents. This type of compositional plant-naming is common cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both words can reasonably guess the MWE's basic meaning (specific botanical details would require more exposure).

Etymology

Bay myrtle may come from the two plants it reminds people of: its leaves smell like bay and its shape and berries look like a myrtle bush. Early settlers used the waxy berries to make 'candles' and the strong smell for cooking and home remedies, so the name came to mean a small scented shrub used for wax and scent.