wormwood
[ wurm-woo d ]
/ ˈwɜrmˌwʊd /
noun
any composite herb or low shrub of the genus Artemisia.
a bitter, aromatic plant, A. absinthium, of the Old World, used as a vermifuge and a tonic, and as an ingredient in absinthe.
something bitter, grievous, or extremely unpleasant.
Words nearby wormwood
wormian,
wormian bone,
worms,
wormseed,
wormseed oil,
wormwood,
wormy,
worn,
worn out,
worn to a frazzle,
worn-out
Example sentences from the Web for wormwood
British Dictionary definitions for wormwood
wormwood
/ (ˈwɜːmˌwʊd) /
noun
Also called: absinthe
any of various plants of the chiefly N temperate genus Artemisia, esp A. absinthium, a European plant yielding a bitter extract used in making absinthe: family Asteraceae (composites)
something that embitters, such as a painful experience
Word Origin for wormwood
C15: changed (through influence of
worm and
wood
1) from Old English
wormōd, wermōd; related to Old High German
werrnuata, German
Wermut; see
vermouth