melissa

The word “melissa” means lemon balm, a fragrant herb often used in teas and traditional remedies for calming the nerves. In plain terms, either the herb lemon balm, or a common first name meaning "bee.".

“Melissa” is pronounced muh-LIH-suh (/məˈlɪsə/ in IPA).

Here is “melissa” used in a sentence: “She grows melissa in the garden to make a soothing evening tea.”

Depending on how it is used, “melissa” can be a noun and a name.

The word “melissa” comes from Ancient Greek. From Ancient Greek melissa, meaning "bee" — the herb was named for how strongly it attracts bees.

“Melissa” is a fairly common word in modern English.

“Melissa” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: lemon balm, a fragrant herb often used in teas and traditional remedies for calming the nerves.

Melissa and lemon balm refer to the same herb; "melissa" is often used in scientific, herbal, or perfumery contexts, while "lemon balm" is the everyday name in cooking and gardening. Both describe a fragrant plant used in teas and traditional calming remedies.

Yes, Melissa is a well-established female given name derived from the Greek word for "bee." It has been popular across English-speaking countries for decades, alongside its use as the name of the lemon balm herb.

Herbal and pharmaceutical products often use "melissa" because it is the plant's Latin genus name, Melissa officinalis, giving it a more formal, scientific ring than the common name lemon balm. You'll see this especially on essential oils and supplement labels.