wormwood

/ˌwʌrmˈwʊd/

/ˈwʌmwʊd/

Other forms: wormwoods

Use the noun wormwood to describe a strong-smelling, shrubby plant of the genus Artemisia.

The form of this word that designates an aromatic shrub is probably influenced by folk etymology, since neither worms nor wood have much to do with the plant: in Old English it is wermod. Among other uses, it is the primary flavoring in the absinthe, and sometimes in vermouth: a word with a similar sound and a common ancestor.

Definitions of wormwood

1. noun

   any of several low composite herbs of the genera Artemisia or Seriphidium
   types:

   mugwort

   any of several weedy composite plants of the genus Artemisia

   Artemisia abrotanum, southernwood

   shrubby European wormwood naturalized in North America; sometimes used in brewing beer

   Artemisia absinthium, absinthe, common wormwood, lad's love, old man

   aromatic herb of temperate Eurasia and North Africa having a bitter taste used in making the liqueur absinthe

   Artemisia annua, sweet wormwood

   wormwood of southeastern Europe to Iran

   Artemisia campestris, field wormwood

   European wormwood similar to common wormwood in its properties

   Artemisia frigida, prairie sagewort, wormwood sage

   silky-leaved aromatic perennial of dry northern parts of the northern hemisphere; has tawny florets

   Artemis pontica, Roman wormwood

   European wormwood; minor source of absinthe

   Artemisia stelleriana, beach wormwood, dusty miller, old woman

   herb with greyish leaves found along the east coast of North America; used as an ornamental plant

   Artemisia maritima, Seriphidium maritimum, sea wormwood

   plants of western and northern European coasts

   Artemisia gnaphalodes, Artemisia ludoviciana, cudweed, prairie sage, western mugwort, white sage

   perennial cottony-white herb of southwestern United States

   Artemisia vulgaris, common mugwort

   European tufted aromatic perennial herb having hairy red or purple stems and dark green leaves downy white below and red-brown florets

   type of:

   subshrub, suffrutex

   low-growing woody shrub or perennial with woody base