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Glite Dictionary
genus Mentha

genus Mentha

5.8
A group of plants with a strong smell like spearmint and peppermint used in cooking and medicine
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : género Mentha
  • The genus Mentha contains well-known herbs such as spearmint and peppermint.

Examples

  • Several species within the genus Mentha are used for their aromatic leaves in cooking and medicine.

  • Spearmint belongs to the genus Mentha.

  • Scientists are studying the genus Mentha for potential medicinal benefits.

  • The genus Mentha includes many aromatic plants.

  • Several species within the genus Mentha are used for their aromatic leaves in cooking and medicine.

  • The genus Mentha contains well-known herbs such as spearmint and peppermint.

  • Scientists are studying the genus Mentha for potential medicinal benefits.

Synonyms

Mentha
vsgenus Mentha
  • Specialized
7.7

A group of plants with a strong minty smell like spearmint and peppermint

is the same meaning but written as a formal scientific label

Surface Forms

genus Mentha singular
genera Mentha plural

Morphology

genus + Mentha

The meaning 'a group of aromatic plants in the mint family' follows directly from combining 'genus' (a biological rank grouping related species) with 'Mentha' (the mint genus/species group). Scientific taxonomic formulas like 'genus X' are compositional and cross-linguistically consistent, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents should be able to infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Genus Mentha comes from the name Mentha, a woman in a Greek story who was turned into a mint plant. That's why Mentha is now the scientific name for the group of aromatic plants we call 'mints'.