myrtle

UK: /ˈmɜːt^əl/ US: /ˈmɝtəl/ ,(mûr′tl)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

myr•tle /ˈmɜrtəl/   n. [countable]

1. Plant Biology a plant of S Europe, having evergreen leaves, fragrant white flowers, and sweet-smelling berries.
2. Plant Biology an unrelated plant, as the periwinkle.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

myr•tle  (mûr′tl), n. 

1. Plant Biology any plant of the genus Myrtus, esp. 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. Cf. myrtle family. 
2. Plant Biology any of certain unrelated plants, as the periwinkle, Vinca minor, and California laurel, Umbellularia californica.
Also called myr•tle•wood  (mûr′tl wŏŏd′). the hard, golden-brown wood of the California laurel.
3. Also called myr′tle green′. dark green with bluish tinge.

• Greek mýrtos) + Neo-Latin -illus diminutive suffix
• Medieval Latin myrtillus, equivalent. to Latin myrt(us) (
• Middle English mirtile 1350–1400

Myr•tle  (mûr′tl), n. 

1. a female given name.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

myrtle / ˈmɜːt^əl/ noun

1. 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
2. bog myrtle
   another name for sweet gale
3. creeping myrtle, trailing myrtle ⇒
   another name for periwinkle21

Etymology: 16th Century: from Medieval Latin myrtilla, from Latin myrtus, from Greek murtos