MENTHOL

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does menthol mean? 

• MENTHOL (noun)
  The noun MENTHOL has 2 senses:

1. 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

2. a lotion containing menthol which gives it the smell of mint

  Familiarity information: MENTHOL used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• MENTHOL (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Hypernyms ("menthol" is a kind of...):

chemical compound; compound ((chemistry) a substance formed by chemical union of two or more elements or ingredients in definite proportion by weight)

Holonyms ("menthol" is a substance of...):

menthol (a lotion containing menthol which gives it the smell of mint)

mentholated salve (a salve containing menthol)

peppermint oil (oil from the peppermint plant used as flavoring)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A lotion containing menthol which gives it the smell of mint

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("menthol" is a kind of...):

application; lotion (liquid preparation having a soothing or antiseptic or medicinal action when applied to the skin)

Meronyms (substance of "menthol"):

menthol (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)

 Context examples 

When added to pharmaceuticals and foods, menthol functions as a fortifier for peppermint flavors.

(Levomenthol, NCI Thesaurus)

Upon spraying directly onto the gastric mucosa, L-menthol preparation NPO-11 may relax gastrointestinal smooth muscle.

(L-menthol Preparation NPO-11, NCI Thesaurus)

A cell wall fraction of bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) obtained by menthol extraction with immunomodulating properties and potential use in cancer immunotherapy.

(Methanol Extraction Residue of BCG, NCI Thesaurus)

A characteristic of a medicinal product, specifying that its most predominant agreeable savor detected by the unified sensation of taste and olfactory receptors resembles menthol.

(Menthol Flavor, NCI Thesaurus)

Menthol causes a cooling sensation when eaten or put on the skin and it acts as a mild pain killer.

(Menthol, NCI Dictionary)

Such nondisclosure can cause difficulties in identifying flavor-related adverse events, e.g. allergic reactions from common allergens such as menthol, lemon oil, or peppermint oil.

(Flavor Excipient, NCI Thesaurus)

A preparation containing L-menthol with potential anti-peristaltic activity.

(L-menthol Preparation NPO-11, NCI Thesaurus)

A levo isomer of menthol, an organic compound made synthetically or obtained from peppermint or mint oils with flavoring and local anesthetic properties.

(Levomenthol, NCI Thesaurus)