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Definition of soapwort
soapwort
/ˈsoʊpwɜːrt/
soap · wort
Plural:soapworts
soapwort Lexical Profile
CEFR
C1
Grade
11
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
Syllables
2
soapwort Game Scores & Validity
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WWF
Wordle Guess
• noun
1
Any of various herbaceous perennial plants of the genus Saponaria in the carnation family (Caryophyllaceae), especially Saponaria officinalis, native to Eurasia and widely cultivated for its clusters of fragrant pink or white five-petaled flowers and saponin-rich leaves and roots that form a soapy lather in water.
Example
"The textile conservator prepared a gentle solution from boiled soapwort roots to clean the antique tapestry."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for soapwortWord Origin & Etymology
Recorded since the 16th century, it combines 'soap' and 'wort' (from Old English 'wyrt', meaning 'plant' or 'herb'), referencing the saponin-rich leaves and roots that produce a natural lather when crushed in water.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Soapwort. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/soapwort