noun

menthol

MEHN-thol

Menthol (noun) means a cooling, minty-smelling compound found in peppermint oil, used in medicines, chest rubs, and flavoured cigarettes. Example: “The cough drops contained menthol to soothe her throat.”

noun

A cooling, minty-smelling compound found in peppermint oil, used in medicines, chest rubs, and flavoured cigarettes.

"The cough drops contained menthol to soothe her throat."

"Menthol cigarettes were banned for sale in several countries."

How to use menthol

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe cooling minty compound from peppermint, used in medicine and some cigarettes.

Common pairings

menthol cigarettes menthol rub menthol cough drops

Word forms

menthols plural

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The cough drops contained _____ to soothe her throat.

Etymology

From Latin mentha ("mint") plus the chemical suffix -ol.

Origin: Latin

Frequently asked questions

What does “menthol” mean?

The word “menthol” means a cooling, minty-smelling compound found in peppermint oil, used in medicines, chest rubs, and flavoured cigarettes. In plain terms, the cooling minty compound from peppermint, used in medicine and some cigarettes.

How do you pronounce “menthol”?

“Menthol” is pronounced MEHN-thol (/ˈmɛnθɒl/ in IPA).

How do you use “menthol” in a sentence?

Here is “menthol” used in a sentence: “The cough drops contained menthol to soothe her throat.”

What part of speech is “menthol”?

“Menthol” is a noun.

Where does the word “menthol” come from?

The word “menthol” comes from Latin. From Latin mentha ("mint") plus the chemical suffix -ol.