bergamot
bergamot Lexical Profile
• noun
A fragrant, yellow-green citrus fruit of the family Rutaceae (Citrus bergamia), cultivated primarily in southern Italy and prized for the aromatic essential oil in its rind.
"The distinctive citrus aroma of Earl Grey tea comes from the rind of the bergamot."
A volatile, sweet-scented essential oil extracted from the peel of the bergamot citrus fruit, widely used in perfumery, aromatherapy, and culinary flavoring.
"The perfumer blended top notes of bergamot with warm cedarwood and jasmine."
Any of several North American perennial herbs of the mint family Lamiaceae (genus Monarda, such as scarlet bee balm or wild bergamot), cultivated for their fragrant foliage and showy, whorled clusters of tubular red, pink, or lavender blossoms.
"Hummingbirds and bumblebees flocked to the bright red blossoms of the garden bergamot."
The small, spiny evergreen citrus tree (Citrus bergamia) native to the Mediterranean region that bears this aromatic fruit.
"Groves of bergamot thrive along the sunny coastal hills of Calabria."
Word Nuance & Usage
'Bergamot' refers to two unrelated botanical plants: the Italian citrus fruit used to flavor Earl Grey tea and the North American flowering herb in the mint family (genus Monarda), whose leaves are steeped into herbal Oswego tea.
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed via French bergamote from Italian bergamotta, folk-etymologically associated with the Italian city of Bergamo, though likely derived earlier from Ottoman Turkish bey armudu ('prince's pear').
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.