Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A fragrant white crystalline organic compound, C10H20O, obtained from peppermint oil or synthesized. It is used in perfumes, in cigarettes, as a mild topical anesthetic, and as a mint flavoring.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In chem., a solid crystalline body (C10H20O1) which separates from oil of peppermint on standing.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Chem.) A white, crystalline, aromatic substance (C10H20O) resembling camphor, extracted from oil of peppermint (Mentha); -- called also mint camphor or peppermint camphor. It has the peculiar effect on skin and membranes of making them feel cool, and is used in liqueurs, confections, cigarettes, cough drops and perfumes, among other things.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun chemistry a cyclic monoterpene alcohol; the major component of the essential oil of peppermint; used in pharmaceutical preparations as an antitussive and antipruritic agent, as a nasal decongestant, and in menthol cigarettes

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a crystalline compound that has the cool and minty taste and odor that occurs naturally in peppermint oil; used as a flavoring and in medicine to relieve itching, pain, and nasal congestion
  • noun a lotion containing menthol which gives it the smell of mint

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[German, from Latin menta, mentha, mint; see mint.]

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Examples

  • Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Now in menthol, too!

    Now in menthol, too! 2004

  • Public-health advocates have long argued menthol, which is generally derived from mint plants, masks the harmful flavors of cigarettes, encourages people to smoke and should be regulated differently from traditional cigarettes.

    Effect of Menthol on Smoking Unclear Jared A. Favole 2010

  • Public-health advocates have long argued menthol, which is generally derived from mint plants, masks the harmful flavors of cigarettes, encourages people to smoke and should be regulated differently from traditional cigarettes.

    Effect of Menthol on Smoking Unclear Jared A. Favole 2010

  • Public-health advocates have long argued menthol, which is generally derived from mint plants, masks the harmful flavors of cigarettes, encourages people to smoke and should be regulated differently from traditional cigarettes.

    Effect of Menthol on Smoking Unclear Jared A. Favole 2010

  • Simpler, clearer-tasting peppermint contains little or no carvone or pyridines; instead it makes a terpene called menthol, which gives it a uniquely cooling quality.

    On Food and Cooking, The Science and Lore of the Kitchen Harold McGee 2004

  • Simpler, clearer-tasting peppermint contains little or no carvone or pyridines; instead it makes a terpene called menthol, which gives it a uniquely cooling quality.

    On Food and Cooking, The Science and Lore of the Kitchen Harold McGee 2004

  • Through protein-protein interactions, the regulatory protein can remodel the active-site cavity of the catalytic protein for synthesizing the precursor of menthol, which is released from the plant as mint scent.

    Taipei Times 2010

  • The one additive that really makes a difference is menthol, which is both a flavoring and a local anesthetic.

    Democracy Now! 2009

  • On Feb. 24, Lorillard registered about 50 variations of the term "menthol," including the dot-com, dot-net and dot-org versions of KillerMenthol, BanMenthol and MentholKills.

    Lorillard Fights to Snuff Menthol Ban David Kesmodel 2011

  • Many addictives that are not toxic in their own right, such as menthol, contribute to the appeal of the product in ways that reinforce exposure to other toxins found in tobacco.

    New Smoking Bill in Congress based on Compromise with Philip Morris 2009

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