Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun Any of several aromatic plants of the genus Artemisia.
- noun Something harsh or embittering.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun A. somewhat woody perennial herb, Artemisia Absinthium, native in Europe and Asiatic Russia, found in old gardens and by roadsides in North America.
- noun Figuratively
- noun Bitterness.
- noun By transference of the name, the common ragweed, Ambrosia artemisiæfolia, a bitter plant with foliage dissected somewhat like that of an artemisia.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun (Bot.) A composite plant (
Artemisia Absinthium ), having a bitter and slightly aromatic taste, formerly used as a tonic and a vermifuge, and to protect woolen garments from moths. It gives the peculiar flavor to the cordial called absinthe. The volatile oil is a narcotic poison. The term is often extended to other species of the same genus. - noun Anything very bitter or grievous; bitterness.
- noun (Bot.) an American weed (
Ambrosia artemisiæfolia ); hogweed. - noun (Bot.) a species of Artemisia (probably
Artemisia variabilis ) with woody stems. - noun (Zoöl.) a variety of the common hare (
Lepus timidus ); -- so named from its color.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun botany An intensely bitter herb (various plants in genus
Artemisia ) used in the production ofabsinthe andvermouth , and as a tonic. - noun Anything that causes
bitterness oraffliction .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun any of several low composite herbs of the genera Artemisia or Seriphidium
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Support
Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word wormwood.
Examples
-
[ "Make wormwood wine thus: take _aqua vitæ_ and malmsey, of each like much, put it in a glasse or bottell with _a few leaves of dried wormwood_, and let it stand certain days,] and strein out a little spoonfull, and drink it with a draught of ale or wine: [it may be long preserved.]" [
-
In Europe, however, this isn't the case; "wormwood" is used only for the absinth-producing species, Artemisia absinthium.
A star called Mugwort Ray Girvan 2004
-
In Europe, however, this isn't the case; "wormwood" is used only for the absinth-producing species, Artemisia absinthium.
Archive 2004-05-01 Ray Girvan 2004
-
Dr. Magnan would later blame the chemical thujone, contained in wormwood, for these effects. [wiki]
The Rise and Fall of the Green Fairy Heather McDougal 2008
-
The myth of absinthe's mind-altering properties is based on the idea that a chemical in wormwood called thujone causes hallucinations and other mental instability, and even addiction.
Archive 2008-07-01 Heather McDougal 2008
-
No wonder your home brew tasted awful: wormwood is exceedingly bitter.
The Rise and Fall of the Green Fairy Heather McDougal 2008
-
The myth of absinthe's mind-altering properties is based on the idea that a chemical in wormwood called thujone causes hallucinations and other mental instability, and even addiction.
The Rise and Fall of the Green Fairy Heather McDougal 2008
-
Dr. Magnan would later blame the chemical thujone, contained in wormwood, for these effects. [wiki]
Archive 2008-07-01 Heather McDougal 2008
-
Confusing mugwort with wormwood is at the level of confusing potato (Solanum tuberosum) with black nightshade (Solanum nigrum) because they share the genus Solanum.
Archive 2004-05-01 Ray Girvan 2004
-
Confusing mugwort with wormwood is at the level of confusing potato (Solanum tuberosum) with black nightshade (Solanum nigrum) because they share the genus Solanum.
A star called Mugwort Ray Girvan 2004
sonofgroucho commented on the word wormwood
As opposed to woodworm?
November 25, 2007
qroqqa commented on the word wormwood
Not from worm + wood. The medial -w- first appears around 1400; the earlier English was wermod, of unknown etymology. The German form Wermuth (modern Wermut) gives us vermouth via French.
April 15, 2009
Prolagus commented on the word wormwood
Calvin's teacher.
April 15, 2009