perilla

noun

pe·​ril·​la pə-ˈri-lə 

: any of a genus (Perilla) of Asian mints that have a bilabiate fruiting calyx and rugose nutlets

Examples of perilla in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Perilla mint Often found in disturbed areas, perilla mint leaves are edible and can be used in salads or as garnish. —Brandi D. Addison, Austin American-Statesman, 4 June 2024

In addition to the ingredients listed above, that could be vermicelli noodles, chicken, basil, pork sausage, perilla leaves, daikon radish, bean sprouts, lemongrass, tofu, salmon or softshell crab. —Jonathan Shikes, The Denver Post, 8 Aug. 2024

Red shiso and perilla bring their distinct, mint-adjacent sharpness. —Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2024

They’re served alongside a cup of chimichurri infused with the minty, citrusy notes of perilla leaves. —Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin, genus name, of unknown origin

Note: Taxon introduced by Linnaeus in Genera plantarum, 6th edition, (Stockholm, 1764), p. 578. Linnaeus gives no source or explanation for the coinage. The name Perilla is known in Latin literature from poems addressed by Ovid to a real or pseudonymous "Perilla," though inscriptional evidence for such a given name in Rome is apparently lacking.

First Known Use

1900, in the meaning defined above