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patchouli

/pəˈtʃuli/
IPA guide

Patchouli is a bushy herb that grows in tropical parts of Asia. There's a perfume with a dark, musky scent that's made from this plant; this is also called patchouli.

You may be familiar with the scent of patchouli without realizing it — it's often used in incense, essential oil blends, and natural insect repellants, and it's a common ingredient in various perfumes. The patchouli plant, which is cultivated all over Asia, is related to mint, though its smells much stronger, sweet and earthy. The word has Tamil roots, pachchai, "green," and ilai, "leaf."

Definitions of patchouli
  1. noun
    small East Indian shrubby mint; fragrant oil from its leaves is used in perfumes
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    type of:
    bush, shrub
    a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems
  2. noun
    a heavy perfume made from the patchouli plant
    synonyms: pachouli, patchouly
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    type of:
    essence, perfume
    a toiletry that emits and diffuses a fragrant odor
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