bergamot
bergamot — noun
1. a small citrus fruit grown mainly in southern Italy, with a yellow-green skin an
a small citrus fruit grown mainly in southern Italy, with a yellow-green skin and a sour taste, used for its sweet smell rather than for eating; also the Mediterranean tree on which this fruit grows.
Farmers in Calabria harvest bergamot by hand each winter to protect the fragile peel.
geographical context: Calabria, Italy as the main growing region
Sofia held up a bergamot at the market, mistaking it for a small green lemon.
named subject, comparative recognition in a scene
Mrs. Costa picked one bergamot from the tree and held it to her nose.
Mr. Greco owns three hectares of bergamot trees on the hillside above Reggio.
The chef rubbed bergamot peel into the sugar to flavour the cake.
- bergamot orange
fuller name often used to make clear it refers to the fruit, not the herb
文法句型
a bergamot
bergamot trees
用法筆記
Often appears as a modifier in compound noun phrases (bergamot tree, bergamot peel, bergamot orange). When used alone, it usually refers to the fruit itself rather than the tree.
常見錯誤
2. a sweet, slightly bitter scented oil that is pressed out of bergamot rind, widel
a sweet, slightly bitter scented oil that is pressed out of bergamot rind, widely used to flavour Earl Grey tea and to add fragrance to perfumes, soaps, and candles.
Earl Grey tea gets its bright, lemony aroma from bergamot sprayed onto the black tea leaves.
famous use case: Earl Grey tea flavouring
Noa dripped five drops of bergamot into her warm bath after a long day at the hospital.
named subject, aromatherapy collocation: drops of bergamot
The perfumer in Grasse blended bergamot with rose to create the new spring fragrance.
Emma unwrapped the candle her sister sent and smelled bergamot, lavender, and warm vanilla.
Farouk rubbed a tiny drop of bergamot onto his wrist and breathed in.
- bergamot oil
the more explicit form, common on labels and recipes
- essence of bergamot
older or more formal, often seen on perfume packaging
文法句型
a drop of bergamot
scented with bergamot
用法筆記
Almost always uncountable. Frequently appears in lists of scent notes alongside other oils, and in product descriptions for tea, cosmetics, and aromatherapy.
常見錯誤
3. a North American garden plant in the mint family (genus Monarda) with red, pink,
a North American garden plant in the mint family (genus Monarda) with red, pink, or purple flowers, whose leaves carry a faint citrus smell and are sometimes used in tea; commonly called wild bergamot or bee balm.
Bees and butterflies crowded around the bright pink bergamot in Aunt Marta's garden.
named subject, pollinator collocation
Hikers in Vermont often spot wild bergamot blooming along sunny forest edges in July.
common compound: wild bergamot, geographical range
Hadiya crushed a few bergamot leaves between his fingers to release the minty smell.
Grandma steeped a handful of dried bergamot leaves to make a soothing tea for sore throats.
A clump of purple bergamot bordered the vegetable patch and drew bees all summer long.
- bee balm
the most common everyday name for this herb in American English
- wild bergamot
specifically the wild, lavender-flowered species
- Monarda
the scientific genus name, used in gardening and botany books
文法句型
wild bergamot
a clump of bergamot
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 and sense 2: those refer to the Mediterranean citrus fruit and its oil, while this sense refers to a completely different North American flowering herb. The form 'wild bergamot' or 'bee balm' is often used to avoid confusion.