mint family: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowTechnical/Scientific, Gardening
Quick answer
What does “mint family” mean?
A large family of aromatic flowering plants (Lamiaceae or Labiatae) characterized by square stems, opposite leaves, and bilabiate flowers, including herbs such as mint, basil, rosemary, sage, and lavender.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A large family of aromatic flowering plants (Lamiaceae or Labiatae) characterized by square stems, opposite leaves, and bilabiate flowers, including herbs such as mint, basil, rosemary, sage, and lavender.
Informally, any group of plants sharing similar aromatic or culinary properties; by extension, a category of things with shared characteristics, reminiscent of the botanical family.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences; both varieties use 'mint family' identically.
Connotations
In both varieties, the term carries connotations of aroma, culinary use, and traditional medicine. Slightly more common in British gardening contexts.
Frequency
Equally low frequency in general use, but slightly higher in British gardening publications.
Grammar
How to Use “mint family” in a Sentence
[Plant] is a member of the mint family.The mint family includes [plant].[Plant] belongs to the mint family.Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in contexts of herb farming, essential oil production, or culinary product marketing.
Academic
Common in botanical, horticultural, and pharmacological texts to classify plants and discuss their properties.
Everyday
Used in gardening, cooking, and herbal remedy discussions among enthusiasts.
Technical
Standard term in plant taxonomy and agricultural extension materials.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “mint family”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “mint family”
- Using 'mint family' to refer to any aromatic plant (e.g., fennel, which is in the carrot family).
- Capitalizing unnecessarily in non-scientific writing (unless starting a sentence).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, 'mint family' is the common name for the plant family Lamiaceae (formerly known as Labiatae).
Common edible members include mint, basil, rosemary, sage, oregano, thyme, marjoram, and lavender (used as a flavouring).
They contain volatile essential oils (like menthol, thymol) that have antiseptic, digestive, and relaxant properties.
Often yes, due to their distinctive aromas, but the most reliable botanical identifier is the square stem and opposite leaf arrangement.
A large family of aromatic flowering plants (Lamiaceae or Labiatae) characterized by square stems, opposite leaves, and bilabiate flowers, including herbs such as mint, basil, rosemary, sage, and lavender.
Mint family is usually technical/scientific, gardening in register.
Mint family: in British English it is pronounced /mɪnt ˈfæm.əl.i/, and in American English it is pronounced /mɪnt ˈfæm.li/ or /mɪnt ˈfæm.ə.li/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Mint Family Members Are Very Square: Mint, Basil, Rosemary, Sage, Lavender — all have square stems (a key feature).
Conceptual Metaphor
PLANTS ARE KINDRED (a family tree of related species).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is NOT a typical characteristic of plants in the mint family?