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.

Origin of wormwood

1350–1400; late Middle English wormwode (see worm, wood1); replacing Middle English wermode, Old English wermōd; cognate with German Wermut; see vermouth

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