patchouli

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Tamil பச்சுளி (paccuḷi).

Pronunciation

  • (US) IPA(key): /pəˈt͡ʃuli/
  • Audio (Southern England):(file)

Noun

patchouli (countable and uncountable, plural patchoulis)

  1. Any of several East Indian plants in the genus Pogostemon, especially Pogostemon cablin, which yield a highly fragrant oil.
  2. The oil or perfume made from these plants.
    • 1976, Peter Wood, Al Stewart, “Year of the Cat”, in Year of the Cat:
      Well she looks at you so coolly / And her eyes shine like the moon in the sea / She comes in incense and patchouli

Derived terms

Translations

Further reading

French

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /pat.ʃu.li/
  • Audio (France (Lyon)):(file)

Noun

patchouli m (uncountable)

  1. patchouli (plant)
  2. patchouli (oil)
    • 1857, Gustave Flaubert, Madame Bovary [][1], Paris: Michel Lévy Frères:
      C'était pour lui qu'elle se limait les ongles avec un soin de ciseleur, et qu'il n'y avait jamais assez de cold-cream sur sa peau, ni de patchouli dans ses mouchoirs.
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Further reading

Portuguese

Noun

patchouli m (plural patchoulis)

  1. alternative spelling of patchuli