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Definition of nepeta
nepeta
/ˈnɛp.ɪ.tə/
nep · e · ta
Plural:nepetas
nepeta Lexical Profile
CEFR
C2
Grade
12
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
Syllables
3
nepeta Game Scores & Validity
Scrabble US
Scrabble UK
WWF
Wordle Guess
• noun
1
Any aromatic herbaceous plant of the genus Nepeta in the mint family (Lamiaceae), native to Europe, Asia, and Africa, including catnip and ornamental catmints cultivated for their gray-green foliage and long-lasting spikes of small, tubular, two-lipped lavender-blue, violet, or white flowers.
Synonyms
View all synonyms for nepetaWord Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Latin nepeta ('catmint'), likely named after the ancient Etruscan town of Nepete (modern Nepi in central Italy), where the herb grew abundantly.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Nepeta. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/nepeta