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Definition of citronella

citronella

/ˌsɪtrəˈnɛlə/
cit · ro · nel · la
Plural:citronellas
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citronella Lexical Profile

citronella Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A pungent, lemon-scented essential oil distilled from certain tropical Asian grasses, widely used in soaps, perfumes, candles, and insect repellents.

Example

"We lit several candles infused with citronella on the patio to keep the mosquitoes away during dinner."

2

Any of several tall, aromatic perennial tropical grasses of the genus Cymbopogon (family Poaceae), native to southern and southeastern Asia and cultivated as the source of citronella oil.

Example

"Farmers in Sri Lanka and Java cultivate vast fields of citronella for commercial oil extraction."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for citronella

• Rhymes for citronella

• Nearby Words

citric
citrine
citron
citronella
citrus
citrusy
city

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in the mid-19th century from French citronnelle (referring to lemon balm), a diminutive of citron ('lemon'), because of the plant's pronounced lemon-like fragrance.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Citronella. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/citronella
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