myrtle

[ mur-tl ]
/ ˈmɜr tl /

noun

any plant of the genus Myrtus, especially M. communis, a shrub of southern Europe having evergreen leaves, fragrant white flowers, and aromatic berries: anciently held sacred to Venus and used as an emblem of love. Compare myrtle family.
any of certain unrelated plants, as the periwinkle, Vinca minor, and California laurel, Umbellularia californica.
Also called myr·tle·wood [mur-tl-woo d] /ˈmɜr tlˌwʊd/. the hard, golden-brown wood of the California laurel.
Also called myrtle green. dark green with bluish tinge.

Origin of myrtle

1350–1400; Middle English mirtile < Medieval Latin myrtillus, equivalent to Latin myrt(us) (< Greek mýrtos) + New Latin -illus diminutive suffix

Words nearby myrtle

myrobalan, myron, myrrh, myrrha, myrtaceous, myrtle, myrtle beach, myrtle family, myrtle warbler, mysap, myself

Definition for myrtle (2 of 2)

Myrtle
[ mur-tl ]
/ ˈmɜr tl /

noun

a female given name.

Example sentences from the Web for myrtle

British Dictionary definitions for myrtle

myrtle
/ (ˈmɜːtəl) /

noun

any evergreen shrub or tree of the myrtaceous genus Myrtus, esp M. communis, a S European shrub with pink or white flowers and aromatic blue-black berries
short for crape myrtle
bog myrtle another name for sweet gale
creeping myrtle or trailing myrtle US and Canadian another name for periwinkle 2 (def. 1)

Word Origin for myrtle

C16: from Medieval Latin myrtilla, from Latin myrtus, from Greek murtos