Definition of "wintergreen"

(obsolete) Any evergreen plant.

One of various not closely related evergreen plants, including:

1. Plants in shrub genus Gaultheria, commonly known as wintergreen, especially:

   1. Gaultheria procumbens, native to North America, having solitary white flowers and aromatic leaves (checkerberry or teaberry)  examples

   2. Gaultheria humifusa – alpine wintergreen  examples

   3. Gaultheria ovatifolia – western teaberry or Oregon spicy wintergreen  examples

   4. Chimaphila maculata – striped wintergreen, pipsissewa  examples

2. Plants in any of several other genera in the herbaceous family Ericaceae, including:

   1. Genus Pyrola, native to northern temperate and Arctic regions.  examples

   2. Genus Orthilia  examples

   3. Genus Moneses  examples

   4. Genus Chimaphila (prince's pine, pipsissewa)  examples

3. Some species of the herbaceous genus Trientalis, in family Primulaceae (chickweed wintergreen)  examples

The spicy red berries of Gaultheria procumbens.  examples

The oil, methyl salicylate, obtained from these berries.  examples

The aroma of the oil, methyl salicylate, however derived.  examples