pennyroyal
noun
pen·ny·roy·al
ˌpen-ē-ˈrȯi(-ə)l 
ˈpe-ni-ˌrī(-ə)l
ˈpe-ni-ˌrī(-ə)l
1
: a European perennial mint (Mentha pulegium) with small aromatic leaves
2
: an aromatic North American mint (Hedeoma pulegioides) that has blue or violet flowers borne in axillary tufts and yields an oil used in folk medicine or to drive away mosquitoes
Examples of pennyroyal in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Research shows that eucalyptus, pennyroyal, marjoram and rosemary may be useful to treat head lice.
—
Lindsey Bever, Washington Post, 28 June 2024
For those who rarely search for anything beyond a misplaced set of keys or a cellphone, the life of a botanist might look impossibly poetic: combing through fields of wildflowers or perusing mossy riverbanks in search of elusive plants with names like handsome sedge and rough false pennyroyal.
—Jenna Russell, New York Times, 11 June 2024
Sadly, pennyroyal is also highly toxic and could have proven deadly to the women taking it.
—Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 22 Aug. 2022
Overconsumption of pennyroyal and mugwort, for example, can cause liver failure, according to Ryan Marino, the medical director of toxicology and addiction at the University Hospitals in Cleveland.
—Rania Soetirto, NBC News, 22 July 2022
Yet pennyroyal contains pulegone, which gets metabolized in the body and forms toxins that can cause liver necrosis, says Josh Trebach, emergency medicine physician and medical toxicologist in Iowa City.
—Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 29 June 2022
Many women turned to herbal remedies such as pennyroyal, which were often effective in terminating pregnancy but could also be toxic.
—Meredith Blake Staff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 25 Dec. 2020
The findings, published Tuesday in the journal Environmental Entomology, revealed that the most popular plant species among the bees were Oregon checker-mallow and mountain pennyroyal flowers.
—Kristen Rogers and David G. Allan, CNN, 28 Jan. 2020
Another of Portugal’s cookbook mainstays, Vítor Sobral has opened modestly priced, casual tascas in Lisbon and Brazil that hew closer to traditional flavors yet with lightness and flair, such as Azorean tuna with mango, peppers, and pennyroyal.
—Anne Farrar, National Geographic, 18 June 2019
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Lindsey Bever, Washington Post, 28 June 2024
For those who rarely search for anything beyond a misplaced set of keys or a cellphone, the life of a botanist might look impossibly poetic: combing through fields of wildflowers or perusing mossy riverbanks in search of elusive plants with names like handsome sedge and rough false pennyroyal.
—Jenna Russell, New York Times, 11 June 2024
Sadly, pennyroyal is also highly toxic and could have proven deadly to the women taking it.
—Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 22 Aug. 2022
Overconsumption of pennyroyal and mugwort, for example, can cause liver failure, according to Ryan Marino, the medical director of toxicology and addiction at the University Hospitals in Cleveland.
—Rania Soetirto, NBC News, 22 July 2022
Yet pennyroyal contains pulegone, which gets metabolized in the body and forms toxins that can cause liver necrosis, says Josh Trebach, emergency medicine physician and medical toxicologist in Iowa City.
—Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 29 June 2022
Many women turned to herbal remedies such as pennyroyal, which were often effective in terminating pregnancy but could also be toxic.
—Meredith Blake Staff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 25 Dec. 2020
The findings, published Tuesday in the journal Environmental Entomology, revealed that the most popular plant species among the bees were Oregon checker-mallow and mountain pennyroyal flowers.
—Kristen Rogers and David G. Allan, CNN, 28 Jan. 2020
Another of Portugal’s cookbook mainstays, Vítor Sobral has opened modestly priced, casual tascas in Lisbon and Brazil that hew closer to traditional flavors yet with lightness and flair, such as Azorean tuna with mango, peppers, and pennyroyal.
—Anne Farrar, National Geographic, 18 June 2019
Cite this Entry
“Pennyroyal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pennyroyal. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
pennyroyal
noun
pen·ny·roy·al
ˌpen-ē-ˈrȯi(-ə)l
ˈpen-i-ˌrīl
ˈpen-i-ˌrīl
: any of several mints
especially
: an aromatic American mint (Hedeoma pulegioides) that yields pennyroyal oil
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share