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Meaning & use

bergamot

noun·Advanced

Last updated

UK/ˈbɜːɡəmɒt/
US/ˈbɜːrɡəmɑːt/

Meanings

  1. nouncountable

    A small citrus tree and its yellow-green fruit, grown mainly in southern Italy.

    Grammar: Countable when talking about the tree or the fruit: a bergamot, two bergamots.

    Patterns

    • a bergamot tree
    • grow bergamots

    Bergamots grow best in the warm, damp climate of southern Italy.

    She planted a bergamot next to the lemon tree in her garden.

    The fruit of the bergamot looks like a small, slightly pear-shaped orange.

  2. noununcountable

    The fragrant oil from this fruit, used in perfume and in Earl Grey tea.

    Grammar: Uncountable when it means the oil or scent: a drop of bergamot, not 'a bergamot'.

    Patterns

    • bergamot oil
    • scented with bergamot
    • a hint of bergamot

    Earl Grey tea gets its distinctive flavor from bergamot.

    The perfume opens with a fresh note of bergamot and lemon.

    Add a few drops of bergamot to the oil for a lighter scent.

  3. nouncountable or uncountable

    A garden plant with purple or pink flowers and leaves that smell of citrus.

    Grammar: Countable for the plant, uncountable for the leaves used in cooking or tea.

    Patterns

    • wild bergamot
    • bergamot leaves

    Wild bergamot attracts bees and butterflies to the garden.

    She dried bergamot leaves to make a soothing herbal tea.

Word forms

pluralbergamots

Common combinations

bergamot oil
A little bergamot oil gives the soap a clean, citrus smell.
Earl Grey tea
Many people drink Earl Grey tea for its bergamot flavor.
a note of bergamot
The candle has a soft note of bergamot and vanilla.
wild bergamot
Wild bergamot is a common prairie flower in North America.
scented with bergamot
The hand cream is scented with bergamot and lavender.

Synonyms and how they differ

citrus
Use citrus for the general family of fruits; bergamot is one specific member of that family.
orange
An orange is a larger, sweeter fruit; bergamot is smaller and too sour to eat raw.

Commonly confused: bergamot or burgamot? bergamot or begonia?

bergamot vs burgamot

A common misspelling; the correct spelling is bergamot with an 'e'.

bergamot vs begonia

A begonia is a flowering garden plant with colorful leaves; bergamot is a citrus fruit or a mint-family herb.

Practice

Earl Grey tea is flavored with ___.

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