What does camomile mean?
Camomile is an aromatic flowering plant of the daisy family, best known for the dried flower heads that are steeped to make a mild, apple-scented herbal tea. The name comes from the Greek chamaimelon, meaning "earth apple," a nod to the fruit-like fragrance given off by its low-growing blossoms. Two main varieties are used: German camomile (Matricaria chamomilla) and Roman camomile (Chamaemelum nobile). Long valued in traditional medicine, camomile has been associated with calming the nerves, aiding sleep, and soothing digestion since antiquity, when Greek, Roman, and Egyptian cultures all prized the herb. Beyond the teacup, the plant appears in gardens — including the famous camomile lawns, where it forms a fragrant, chamfered ground cover — as well as in cosmetics, shampoos, and folk remedies. In everyday usage the word most often refers to the tea itself, carrying connotations of comfort, gentleness, and winding down at the end of the day.
nounAn aromatic plant of the daisy family with white ray florets and a yellow centre, whose flower heads are dried and used to make a soothing herbal tea and in traditional medicine. The spelling "chamomile" is an equally common variant.
- A daisy-like aromatic plant (genera Chamaemelum and Matricaria) whose dried flower heads are used in herbal medicine and teas.
- The herbal infusion (tea) prepared from its dried flowers.
"She brewed a pot of camomile tea to calm her nerves before bed."
"A patch of camomile grew along the edge of the garden path, releasing an apple scent when brushed."
"He skipped the espresso and ordered a cup of camomile instead."
The plural refers to multiple individual plants; the mass form "camomile" is used for the herb or tea in general.
"She planted camomiles along the border so their scent would drift toward the patio."
The ancient Greeks named it "earth apple" because its low-growing blossoms smelled faintly of apples — and it has been lulling people to sleep ever since.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of camomile
Camomile derives from the Greek chamaimelon, literally "earth apple" — a compound of khamai, meaning "on the ground," and mēlon, "apple" — so called because the plant's crushed blossoms smell of apples. The term passed into Latin as camomillum or chamaemelon and entered English via Old French in the Middle Ages. It shares its Greek prefix khamai- with the word "chameleon," which combines the same "ground/dwarf" element with "lion." The spellings "camomile" and "chamomile" have coexisted for centuries, reflecting different transmission routes through French and Latin.
How camomile is actually used
"Camomile" is the traditional British spelling while "chamomile" predominates in American English; both refer to the same plant and are fully interchangeable. The word carries gentle, calming connotations — camomile tea is culturally associated with relaxation, bedtime, and natural remedies.
Easily confused with camomile
"Chamomile" and "camomile" are spelling variants of the same plant, not different plants — the former is more common in American English, the latter in British English.
Feverfew is a visually similar daisy-family herb used medicinally, but it has a bitter taste and is traditionally taken for headaches rather than as a calming tea.