myrtle
myrtle Lexical Profile
myrtle Game Scores & Validity
• noun
An evergreen shrub of the genus Myrtus (especially Myrtus communis, native to the Mediterranean region and western Asia), cultivated as an ornamental plant for its glossy, aromatic leaves and fragrant, star-shaped white or pink blossoms with prominent tuft-like stamens.
"Sprigs of flowering myrtle have been woven into royal bridal bouquets since the reign of Queen Victoria."
North American Any of various unrelated evergreen plants with glossy foliage, especially the trailing lesser periwinkle (Vinca minor) used as an ornamental groundcover.
"A dense carpet of creeping myrtle covered the shaded bank beneath the oak trees."
The small, aromatic, bluish-black edible berry produced by the common myrtle shrub, used fresh or dried as a culinary flavoring and to infuse traditional Mediterranean liqueurs such as Sardinian mirto.
"During their trip to Sardinia, they sampled a sweet liqueur infused with wild myrtle harvested from the hillsides."
A dark, rich shade of bluish green resembling the leaves of the myrtle shrub.
"The library walls were painted a deep myrtle that gave the room a calm, classic atmosphere."
• adjective
Having a dark, rich bluish-green color resembling the foliage of the myrtle shrub.
"She wore a tailored myrtle coat that complemented the autumn foliage."
• Rhymes for myrtle
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed into Middle English from Old French myrtille, a diminutive of myrte, which derives via Latin myrtus from Ancient Greek myrtos (myrtle). In classical antiquity, the plant was sacred to Aphrodite (Venus) and served as a traditional emblem of love, beauty, and peace.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.