page_title: Mentha
section_title: Etymology of "mint"
hierarchical_section_title: Mentha / Etymology of "mint"
caption_attribution_description: Mint leaves.
context_page_description: Mentha is a genus of plants in the family Lamiaceae. The exact distinction between species is unclear; it is estimated that 13 to 24 species exist. Hybridization occurs naturally where some species range overlap. Many hybrids and cultivars are known.
  The genus has a subcosmopolitan distribution across Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and North America.
  The species that makes up the genus Mentha are widely distributed and can be found in many environments. Most grow best in wet environments and moist soils. Mints will grow 10–120 cm tall and can spread over an indeterminate area. Due to their tendency to spread unchecked, some mints are considered invasive.
context_section_description: Mint descends from the Latin word  mentha, which is rooted in the Greek word minthe, personified in Greek mythology as Minthe, a nymph who was transformed into a mint plant, and reflex of a proto-Indo-European root whence also Sanskrit -mantha, mathana (premna serratifolia).
  Mint leaves, without a qualifier like 'peppermint' or 'apple mint', generally refers to spearmint leaves.
  In Spain and Central and South America, mint is known as menta.  In Lusophone countries, especially in Portugal, mint species are popularly known as hortelã.  In many Indo-Aryan languages, it is called pudīna, (Sindhi: ڦُودنو‎), Hindi: पुदीना , (Bengali: পুদিনা).
  The taxonomic family Lamiaceae is known as the mint family.  It includes many other aromatic herbs, including most of the more common cooking herbs, such as basil, rosemary, sage, oregano, and catnip.
  As an English colloquial term, any small mint-flavored confectionery item can be called a mint.
  In common usage, other plants with fragrant leaves may be called "mint", although they are not in the mint family.
  Vietnamese mint, commonly used in Southeast Asian cuisine is Persicaria odorata in the family Polygonaceae, collectively known as smartweeds or pinkweeds.
  Mexican mint marigold is Tagetes lucida in the sunflower family (Asteraceae).
caption: An example of mint leaves
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