oregano
oregano Lexical Profile
oregano Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The dried, aromatic leaves of a Mediterranean plant in the mint family, widely used as a culinary herb to flavor savory dishes, particularly in Italian, Greek, and Mexican cuisines.
"She sprinkled a generous pinch of dried oregano and crushed red pepper over the pizza before baking it."
The perennial herbaceous plant (Origanum vulgare) native to the Mediterranean region and parts of Eurasia, characterized by spade-shaped, olive-green leaves and small purple or pink flowers.
"We planted fresh basil, thyme, and oregano in the terracotta pots on our sunny balcony."
Word Origin & Etymology
From Spanish 'orégano' and Italian 'origano', derived from Latin 'origanum', which traces back to the ancient Greek 'oríganon', meaning 'brightness of the mountain' (from 'oros' meaning mountain and 'ganos' meaning brightness or joy).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.