Jasmin

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A flowering shrub known for its fragrant blooms, often used in perfumes and teas
2. A plant characterized by its sweet-smelling flowers, commonly associated with romantic and aromatic applications
3. A genus of flowering plants whose blossoms are prized for their delightful fragrance and cultural significance in various traditions

Etymology: The word "jasmin" is simply an older spelling of "jasmine," and it traces back to a Middle Persian name for the flower, "yʾsmn," which later became "yāsamīn" in Classical Persian. From Persia the name moved into Arabic as "yāsamīn," and that Arabic form was taken into French as "jasmin." English borrowed the French word, and the spelling "jasmin" was used for a time before "jasmine" became standard. The journey of the name tracks the flower's own travels. Jasmine plants were prized across the Persian and Arabic worlds for their fragrance, and the name went west with the goods and traders who carried the plant along the same routes as other luxury imports. By the time it reached French, the word had already been shaped by centuries of use in Arabic-speaking lands, which is why it carries a Persian root beneath its European form.

Synonyms: jasmine