peppermint

noun

pep·​per·​mint ˈpe-pər-ˌmint 

-mənt

in rapid speech ˈpep-mənt

or -ᵊm-ənt

1

a

: a pungent and aromatic mint (Mentha piperita) with dark green lanceolate leaves and whorls of small pink flowers in spikes

b

: any of several mints (such as M. arvensis) that are related to the peppermint

2

: candy flavored with peppermint

pepperminty

ˈpe-pər-ˌmin-tē 

adjective

Illustration of peppermint

• peppermint 1a

Examples of peppermint in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Scratch him behind the ears and say Good boy over and over so the horse might tire of hearing it, but Pal never would, crunching his peppermint in sweet victory—even defeat. —Literary Hub, 30 Apr. 2026

Combine Epsom salt, sea salt, baking soda and your mom’s favorite essential oil — peppermint is a popular choice — then transfer the mixture into a small glass jar. —Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026

Pungent plants that work well for this include lavender, peppermint, tarragon, and thyme. —Peg Aloi, The Spruce, 25 Apr. 2026

This festive treat has all the flavors of the winter holidays, chocolate and peppermint, in sliceable cheesecake form. —Patricia S York, Southern Living, 21 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1696, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for peppermint

• fingerprint
• overprint
• blueprint
• footprint
• imprint
• misprint
• newsprint
• nonprint
• preprint
• reprint
• clint
• dint

Kids Definition

peppermint

noun

pep·​per·​mint ˈpep-ər-ˌmint 

-mənt

1

: a mint with stalks of small usually pink flowers that is the source of an oil which is sharp in flavor and is used especially to flavor candies

2

: candy flavored with peppermint

Medical Definition

peppermint

noun

pep·​per·​mint -ˌmint, -mənt 

: a mint of the genus Mentha (M. piperita) with dark green leaves and spikes of small pink flowers from which an aromatic oil is obtained

pepperminty

ˈpep-ər-ˌmint-ē 

adjective