menthol
UK[ˈmenθɒl]US[ˈmenθɔːl]
n
A white crystalline substance with a strong smell of mint, used to relieve pain or as a flavouring.
Etymology
The word 'menthol' is a modern scientific coinage, entering English from German in the late 19th century. Its core component, 'menth-', is derived from Latin mentha, the name for the mint plant, which itself has a deep history traceable to Greek minthē and possibly a pre-Greek Mediterranean source. The suffix '-ol' is an international scientific suffix borrowed from Latin oleum (oil), used in chemistry to denote alcohols or phenols. Thus, the term's literal construction means "the alcohol derived from mint," directly and logically reflecting its source and chemical nature as the primary compound responsible for the cooling sensation of peppermint oil.
Analysis
The word is a simplex loanword from German. It is formed from the German word 'Menthol', which itself was coined from Latin 'mentha' (mint) + the chemical suffix '-ol' (indicating an alcohol). The '-ol' suffix is derived from Latin 'oleum' (oil).
Examples
The cough drops contain menthol to soothe a sore throat.
She applied a cream with menthol to her aching muscles.
The strong scent of menthol filled the room when he opened the jar.