Mentha - Etymology of "mint"

Etymology of "mint"

Mint descends from the Latin word mentha, which is rooted in the Greek word minthe, personified in Greek mythology as Minthe, a nymph who was transformed into a mint plant. The word itself probably derives from a now extinct pre-Greek language (see Pre-Greek substrate).

Mint leaves, without a qualifier like peppermint or apple mint, generally refers to spearmint leaves.

In Spain, Central and South America, mint is known as hierbabuena (literally, "good herb"). In Lusophone countries, especially in Portugal, mint species are popularly known as Hortelã. In many Indo-Aryan languages, it is called Pudīna.

The taxonomic family Lamiaceae is known as the mint family. It includes many other aromatic herbs, including most of the more common cooking herbs, including basil, rosemary, sage, oregano, and catnip.

As an English colloquial term, any small mint-flavored confectionery item can be called a mint.

In common usage, other plants with fragrant leaves may be called "mint" although they are not in the Mint Family.

• Vietnamese Mint, commonly used in Southeast Asian cuisine is Persicaria odorata in the family Polygonaceae, collectively known as smartweeds or pinkweeds.
• "Mexican mint marigold" is Tagetes lucida in the sunflower family (Asteraceae).