myrtle
myrtle — noun
1. A small evergreen bush or tree with shiny, pointed leaves, sweet-smelling white
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.
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
In Greek mythology, myrtle was sacred to Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty.
The myrtle hedge along the path stayed deep green through the whole winter.
- common myrtle
The full name for this specific species, used to distinguish it from other plants in the same family.
用法筆記
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.
常見錯誤
2. Any of a large group of shrubs and trees that belong to the same plant family as
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.
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
Some myrtle species from tropical forests produce oils used in perfumes and traditional medicines.
Adaeze found a myrtle specimen in the botanical garden that she had never seen before.
- 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.
用法筆記
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.