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lemon-grass oil

Low
UK/ˈlem.ən ˌɡrɑːs ɔɪl/US/ˈlem.ən ˌɡræs ɔɪl/

Technical / Culinary

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Definition

Meaning

An essential oil extracted from the leaves and stalks of the lemongrass plant (Cymbopogon), used for its citrusy aroma and flavor.

A volatile oil used in aromatherapy, perfumery, cooking, and traditional medicine, valued for its antimicrobial and insect-repellent properties.

Linguistics

Semantic Notes

Typically refers to the distilled essential oil, not the raw plant material. Often hyphenated as 'lemon-grass oil' or written as 'lemongrass oil'.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

No significant difference in meaning. Spelling may vary: 'lemongrass oil' (more common in US) vs. 'lemon-grass oil' (sometimes seen in UK).

Connotations

Both associate it with Asian cuisine, aromatherapy, and natural remedies.

Frequency

Equally low frequency in both dialects, primarily found in specialized contexts.

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong
essential oilpure lemon-grass oilextract lemon-grass oildilute lemon-grass oil
medium
bottle of lemon-grass oiluse lemon-grass oilaroma of lemon-grass oillemon-grass oil blend
weak
buy lemon-grass oilstrong lemon-grass oilnatural lemon-grass oillemon-grass oil recipe

Grammar

Valency Patterns

extract oil from lemongrassuse oil for aromatherapyadd oil to the mixturedilute oil with a carrier

Vocabulary

Synonyms

Strong

citronella oil (related but distinct)

Neutral

lemongrass essential oilCymbopogon oil

Weak

herbal oilcitrus oil

Vocabulary

Antonyms

synthetic fragranceartificial flavoring

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

  • “None specific to this term”

Usage

Context Usage

Business

Used in product descriptions for cosmetics, aromatherapy, or food ingredients.

Academic

Appears in pharmacology or botany papers studying essential oil properties.

Everyday

Mentioned in cooking recipes or natural home remedy discussions.

Technical

Specified in aromatherapy manuals, cosmetic formulations, or agricultural reports.

Examples

By Part of Speech

verb

British English

  • The company distils lemon-grass oil for export.

American English

  • They steam-distill lemongrass oil in small batches.

Examples

By CEFR Level

A2
  • This soap smells like lemon-grass oil.
B1
  • You can buy lemon-grass oil at the health food shop.
B2
  • The recipe calls for a few drops of lemon-grass oil to enhance the flavour.
C1
  • Due to its high citral content, lemon-grass oil exhibits significant antimicrobial activity.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think: LEMON (citrus scent) + GRASS (plant source) + OIL (extracted liquid) = lemon-grass oil.

Conceptual Metaphor

NATURAL PURITY (associated with clean, organic, non-synthetic products).

Watch out

Common Pitfalls

Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)

  • Avoid translating as 'лимонное масло' (lemon oil) – specify 'масло лемонграсса'.
  • Do not confuse with 'цитронелловое масло' (citronella oil), a related but different oil.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'lemongrass' to refer to the oil without 'oil'.
  • Confusing it with lemon oil or citronella oil.
  • Misspelling as 'lemon grassoil' or 'lemongrassoil'.

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap
For the Thai curry, you need to add a drop of to get the authentic flavour.
Multiple Choice

What is lemon-grass oil primarily extracted from?

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

No. Lemongrass is the plant. Lemon-grass oil is the essential oil extracted from it.

Only food-grade, properly diluted lemon-grass oil should be ingested, and with caution. Consult a professional.

It is commonly used in aromatherapy for relaxation, in cooking for flavour, and as a natural insect repellent.

Lemon oil comes from lemon fruit peel. Lemon-grass oil comes from a different, grass-like plant and has a distinct, sharper aroma.