peppermint

/ˌpɛpərˈmɪnt/

/ˈpɛpəmɪnt/

Other forms: peppermints

Peppermint is the familiar aromatic flavoring you'll find in toothpaste, gum, and those round, red and white candies that your grandmother always keeps in a little china bowl on her coffee table.

Peppermint, the most common type of mint plant, has fresh, fragrant leaves, and the word peppermint is also the name of an oil extracted from those leaves. The oil and leaves of the peppermint plant are used in many products, including ice cream, tea, and shampoo. The word peppermint was coined in the 17th century, from pepper and mint, probably inspired by its "spicy," tingling flavor.

Definitions of peppermint

1. noun

   red gum tree of Tasmania
   synonyms: Eucalyptus amygdalina, peppermint gum, red gum

   type of:

   eucalypt, eucalyptus, eucalyptus tree

   a tree of the genus Eucalyptus
2. noun

   herb with downy leaves and small purple or white flowers that yields a pungent oil used as a flavoring
   synonyms: Mentha piperita

   type of:

   mint

   any north temperate plant of the genus Mentha with aromatic leaves and small mauve flowers
3. noun

   a candy flavored with peppermint oil
   synonyms: peppermint candy

   type of:

   mint, mint candy

   a candy that is flavored with a mint oil