wintergreen
|win-ter-green|
🇺🇸
/ˈwɪn.tɚ.ɡriːn/
🇬🇧
/ˈwɪn.tə.ɡriːn/
green in winter; evergreen plant / associated oil or flavor
Etymology
'wintergreen' originates from English, specifically the compound of 'winter' + 'green', where 'winter' meant 'winter' and 'green' meant 'green'.
'wintergreen' developed in Middle English as a descriptive compound (literally 'green in winter') used for plants that remain green through the winter; it ultimately came to name specific plants and the oil/flavor derived from them.
Initially, it meant 'green in winter' (a plant that stays green during winter), but over time it evolved to refer specifically to certain plant species (e.g., Gaultheria procumbens) and to the aromatic oil or flavor associated with those plants.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
any of several low-growing evergreen plants of the genus Gaultheria (especially Gaultheria procumbens, also called teaberry) or related plants that remain green in winter.
Wintergreen is common in the acidic woods of eastern North America.
Synonyms
Noun 2
an aromatic oil (oil of wintergreen) or the compound methyl salicylate obtained from certain wintergreen plants, used in medicine and as a flavoring.
The liniment smelled strongly of wintergreen.
Synonyms
Noun 3
a minty flavor (wintergreen flavor) used for candies, chewing gum, toothpaste, and similar products.
She bought a pack of wintergreen gum.
Synonyms
Adjective 1
relating to, derived from, or smelling/tasting like wintergreen.
The ointment had a wintergreen scent.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/14 19:34