Peppermint
/ˈpɛp.ər.mɪnt/noun
A mint plant and its strongly aromatic flavoring or oil.
Did you know?Peppermint is a hybrid mint, but its name is not ancient magic—it's a later English formation combining “pepper” with “mint” because of its hot, sharp taste.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*peperi- / *piper-
“A root behind words for pepper and pungency in later languages”
Latin
Latin
piper
“Pepper”
Old English
Old English
minte
“Mint”
Middle English
English
peper-mynt
“Mint with a peppery bite; a later compound name”
18th Century
English
peppermint
“The established modern name for the plant and flavor”