menthol Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. 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
  2. noun a lotion containing menthol which gives it the smell of mint

WordNet

Men"thol noun
Etymology
Mentha + -ol.
Definitions
  1. (Chem.) A white, crystalline, aromatic substance resembling camphor, extracted from oil of peppermint (Mentha); -- called also mint camphor or peppermint camphor.

Webster 1913