patchouli

noun patch·ou·li \ pə-ˈchü-lē also ˈpa-chə-lē \

variants: or less commonly patchouly

Updated on: 19 Apr 2018

Definition of patchouli

: a heavy perfume made from the fragrant essential oil of a southeast Asian mint (Pogostemon cablin); also : the plant itself

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Recent Examples of patchouli from the Web

Choose from oil blends such as Pick-Me-Up (essence of peppermint, grapefruit and orange) or Grounding (vetiver, patchouli and lavender).

— kavita daswani, latimes.com, "Heading to Coachella? Here are some packing tips," 7 Apr. 2018
Tempo is a free-spirited blend of patchouli, sage, violet, and maté.

— sarah spellings, The Cut, "A Perfume Professional on What Happiness Smells Like," 2 Apr. 2018
The floral top notes make for an invigorating wake up at first whiff, but the strength of this scent is in its base notes (the layer that sticks around longest) of wood, patchouli, and leather.

— garrett munce, GQ, "The Best Room Sprays Will Cover Your House’s Stank," 29 Mar. 2018
Remind yourself to take a moment to breathe by lighting up the Maison Margiela Replica Lazy Sunday Morning Scented Candle, which delivers a soothing aroma of patchouli and lily of the valley.

— aliza kelly faragher, Allure, "What April's Aquarius Horoscope Means for You," 29 Mar. 2018
This is a delicious lemony scent mixed with a musky combination of sandalwood, creamy vanilla, and patchouli. .

— samantha brodsky, Good Housekeeping, "People Are Going Nuts for This "Harry Potter" Sorting Hat Candle," 12 Oct. 2017
The perfume is a woody blend of patchouli, amber, tonka bean, vanilla from Madagascar, and citrus that feels rebellious yet sophisticated.

— shannon barbour, The Cut, "Keira Knightley Is a ‘Sassy Seductress’ in Chanel’s New Perfume Ad," 26 Feb. 2018
But this year the scents of patchouli and hairspray will respectively waft over the Gorge Amphitheatre.

— michael rietmulder, The Seattle Times, "Phish, Journey and Def Leppard announce Washington shows, more concert news," 26 Jan. 2018
From the Etsy shop Muggle Library Candles, The Sorting candle is hand-poured and gives off a lemony scent mixed with vanilla, sandalwood and patchouli.

— samantha brodsky, Good Housekeeping, "People Are Going Nuts for This "Harry Potter" Sorting Hat Candle," 12 Oct. 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of patchouli

Tamil paccuḷi

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First Known Use: 1845

in the meaning defined above

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PATCHOULI Defined for English Language Learners

patchouli

noun

Definition of patchouli for English Language Learners

: a perfume that is made from the oil of a southeast Asian plant

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patchouli

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