What does wormwood mean?
Wormwood is the common name for Artemisia absinthium, an aromatic plant valued for its intensely bitter taste. It has a long history in European herbal medicine, where preparations of the plant were used for digestive complaints and, before modern chemistry, as a treatment for intestinal worms. Wormwood is also the characteristic botanical ingredient in absinthe, a spirit whose flavor, aroma, and cultural reputation are closely associated with the plant. In contemporary English, the word most often identifies the herb itself, but it may also refer to an alcoholic preparation made with it. Its associations with bitterness and old-fashioned remedies make it unusually vivid in both practical and literary contexts. The name has been retained in botanical terminology, herbal products, discussions of absinthe, and expressions that invoke the plant’s sharply bitter character.
nounThe plant Artemisia absinthium, a bitter aromatic herb historically used medicinally and as a source of absinthe. The word can also denote a bitter alcoholic drink flavored with wormwood.
- The aromatic herb Artemisia absinthium, especially when used medicinally or as a source of essential oil.
- A bitter alcoholic drink or spirit flavored with wormwood, historically associated with absinthe.
"A sprig of wormwood was steeped to give the absinthe its distinctive bitterness."
"The apothecary steeped wormwood to make a bitter tonic."
"The old recipe called for wormwood oil, sugar, and highly rectified spirits."
Usually used as a mass noun for the plant or drink, but the plural can refer to multiple plants or individual examples.
"Several wormwoods grow along the dry hillside."
Wormwood is the bitter botanical ingredient behind absinthe, giving the famously potent spirit its name and much of its character.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does wormwood come from?
The English word developed from Old English wermōd, an old name for the plant. Related forms occur in German Wermut and Dutch wormwijde, while Greek apsinthion and Latin absinthium belong to the broader history of names for wormwood and related aromatic plants. These forms also underlie names such as absinthe and armoise.
How wormwood is actually used
In modern botanical and historical contexts, “wormwood” usually refers to Artemisia absinthium. The name can also carry literary or figurative associations with bitterness, austerity, and difficult or unpleasant experiences.