bergamot

noun

ber·​ga·​mot ˈbər-gə-ˌmät 

plural bergamots

1

a

: a round to pear-shaped citrus fruit of a Mediterranean tree (Citrus bergamia synonym C. aurantium bergamia) that has a yellow to green rind which yields a bitter, fragrant essential oil and that is typically considered to be a hybrid of a sour orange and a lemon

b(1)

: a tree that bears bergamots

(2)

: the essential oil derived from a bergamot

2

: any of several mints (genus Monarda) see also wild bergamot

Examples of bergamot in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The aroma was a complex combination of floral, woody and musky notes, bolstered by mandarin, musk and bergamot. —Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2025

To finish, Giannetos spritzed Moore’s hair with the Parfums de Marly Valaya Hair Mist, a delicate fragrance with notes of bergamot, mandarin, and white peach. —Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 19 Oct. 2025

The sauce for the duck a l’orange, bright with bergamot and calamansi, is sticky and glossy. —Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2025

This season, swap in some seasonal notes of vanilla, sandalwood, bergamot, and more with budget-friendly perfumes from Target. —Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 10 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French bergamote, from Italian bergamotta, modification of Turkish bey armudu, literally, the bey's pear

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing bergamot

• wild bergamot