The title compound, C17H20O2, has an E conformation about the bridging C=C bond. The cyclo-hexene ring adopts an envelope conformation with the dimethyl-substituted C atom as the flap. Its mean plane makes a dihedral angle of 7.20 (12)° with the benzene ring. In the crystal, neighbouring mol-ecules are connected via C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming chains running along the a-axis direction.