myrtle

IPA/ˈmɜːtl/
KK[mˈɚtəl]IPA/ˈmɜːrtl/

myrtle — noun

  • myrtlesingular
  • myrtlesplural

1. A small evergreen bush or tree with shiny, pointed leaves, sweet-smelling white

1.nounB1
Definition

A small evergreen bush or tree with shiny, pointed leaves, sweet-smelling white or pink flowers, and dark purple berries. It grows naturally in southern Europe and North Africa and is often planted in gardens for its pleasant smell and attractive look.

Example

Christopher planted a myrtle bush near the garden wall for its scented white flowers.

collocation: myrtle bush / myrtle hedge

Talia picked a handful of myrtle berries and noticed their sweet, spicy smell.

collocation: myrtle berries

Common collocations
  • myrtle bush
  • myrtle hedge
  • myrtle leaves
  • myrtle berries
  • myrtle branch
  • myrtle flower
  • myrtle oil
  • myrtle wreath
Synonyms
  • common myrtle

    The full name for this specific species, used to distinguish it from other plants in the same family.

Usage Note

Frequently appears in compound phrases like 'myrtle bush', 'myrtle berry', and 'myrtle oil'. In classical mythology and Western wedding traditions, myrtle symbolises love, fertility, and good fortune — a bride's bouquet sometimes includes myrtle sprigs.

Common Mistakes

She planted a murder bush in her garden.
She planted a myrtle bush in her garden.
'myrtle' and 'murder' sound similar in English but have very different meanings.

2. Any of a large group of shrubs and trees that belong to the same plant family as

2.nounB2
Definition

Any of a large group of shrubs and trees that belong to the same plant family as the common myrtle. This group includes many tropical and subtropical species, some of which are grown for their fruit, wood, or oils.

Example

The myrtle family includes over five thousand species found in warm climates worldwide.

botanical term: the myrtle family

Nora learned that clove trees and eucalyptus belong to the same family as garden myrtle.

examples of myrtle-family plants: clove, eucalyptus

Common collocations
  • myrtle family
  • myrtle species
  • myrtle genus
  • myrtle oil
  • myrtle relative
Synonyms
  • Myrtaceae

    The scientific Latin name for the myrtle plant family, used in formal botanical writing.

  • myrtaceous plant

    A formal botanical term for any member of the myrtle family.

Usage Note

This sense is used mainly in botanical contexts. When referring to a specific plant, 'myrtle' almost always means the common myrtle (sense 1). Use the phrase 'myrtle family' or 'myrtle species' to make the broader meaning clear.

Word family

  • myrtaceous
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Laurel, oleander, and boxwood are all evergreen shrubs that learners may confuse with myrtle. Laurel has larger, thicker leaves and is native to the same Mediterranean region as myrtle, but myrtle's leaves are smaller, glossier, and release a sweet scent when crushed — laurel leaves have little smell. Oleander has showy pink or white flowers similar to myrtle's, but every part of the oleander plant is highly poisonous, whereas myrtle berries are harmless and have been used in cooking and perfumes. Boxwood has much smaller, rounded leaves and produces neither fragrant flowers nor berries, making it easy to tell apart. In gardens, gardeners choose myrtle specifically for its sweet-smelling blooms and dark berries, while laurel and boxwood are grown mainly for dense hedging and topiary shapes.

laurel ↗oleander ↗boxwood

Common collocations

Phrases

  • myrtle bush
  • myrtle hedge
  • myrtle leaves
  • myrtle berries
  • myrtle branch
  • myrtle oil
  • myrtle wreath
  • myrtle family
  • myrtle species

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'myrtle' traces back to the ancient Greek word múrtos (μύρτος), which gave Latin myrtus. It passed through Old French myrtille into Middle English as myrtille, later shortening to 'myrtle'. In Greek and Roman mythology, the myrtle plant was sacred to Aphrodite (Venus), the goddess of love — brides wore myrtle wreaths as a symbol of love, fertility, and good fortune. This wedding tradition continues in some European cultures today.