jasmine

noun jas·mine \ ˈjaz-mən \

variants: or less commonly jessamine play \ˈje-smən, ˈje-sə-mən\

|Updated on: 23 Jun 2018

Definition of jasmine

1 a : any of numerous often climbing shrubs (genus Jasminum) of the olive family that usually have extremely fragrant flowers; especially : a tall-climbing semievergreen Asian shrub (J. officinale) with fragrant white flowers from which oil is extracted for use in perfumes

b : any of numerous plants having sweet-scented flowers; especially : yellow jessamine

2 : a light yellow

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Recent Examples of jasmine from the Web

Nonetheless, the menu items are well-described and most meals come with a side of sticky jasmine rice.

— special to the oregonian, OregonLive.com, "Gerry Frank's picks: Wild Rose, Kanpai offer delicious stops in Bend," 25 May 2018
Cue strong scents such as amber, jasmine, musk and tuberose that were intended to mask persistent odors.

— kelsey kloss, ELLE Decor, "Home Fragrances: A Brief History, From Ancient Egypt To Today," 5 Aug. 2016
The tri-phase formula blends together when shaken to impart the benefits of South India sambac (a type of jasmine) with the French sea kelp to skin.

— marci robin, Allure, "Rodin Launches a Mermaid Collection With Five New Glow-Inducing Beauty Products," 5 June 2018
Beginning with floral notes and jasmine, this wine moves into apricot, minerality and subtle flashes of tropical fruit.

— michael austin, chicagotribune.com, "12 Cotes du Rhone wines that offer a range of styles and values," 31 May 2018
One uses a Colombian bean with notes of brown sugar, honey, and blackberry; the other uses an Ethiopian bean with flavor notes of grapefruit, jasmine, and blueberry.

— grace dickinson, Philly.com, "Coffee and tonic: The fizzy iced drink for cooling down this summer," 24 May 2018
Other notes come from orris root blended with patchouli; its inherent headiness is tempered by the freshness of jasmine.

— kavita daswani, latimes.com, "Designers behind Proenza Schouler find fresh inspiration on a road trip from L.A. to West Texas," 19 Apr. 2018
The brand decided to fashion the fragrance into a soft orange-hued soap that smells of orange blossom, grapefruit, musk, and jasmine.

— shannon barbour, The Cut, "The Plaza Hotel’s Resident Fragrance House Rereleases an Old Favorite," 30 Mar. 2018
In the spring, the space turns lilac and white when the wisteria and jasmine bushes bloom.

— chiara barzini, New York Times, "The Secret Atelier Behind a Roman Boutique," 16 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'jasmine.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.