means A pungent, cooling mint — a hybrid of water mint and spearmint — whose oil flavors candy, gum, tea, and toothpaste with a sharp menthol bite.

from From Old English 'pipor' (pepper) plus 'mint,' which traces back through Latin 'menta' to Greek 'minthē.' The Greek name carries a myth: Minthe was a nymph loved by Hades, crushed underfoot by a jealous Persephone and turned into the lowly herb — though her fragrance was left intact as small comfort. The 'pepper' half nods to the plant's sharp, peppery heat on the tongue, and the name dates to a time when the herb was prized for both flavor and remedy.