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Definition of st. john's wort
st. john's wort
Plural:St. John's worts
• noun
1
An herbal extract or dietary supplement prepared from the dried flowers and leaves of Hypericum perforatum, widely used in traditional and alternative medicine to treat mild to moderate depression and anxiety.
Example
"The pharmacist warned her that taking St. John's wort could interfere with several prescription medications."
2
Any of various herbaceous plants or shrubs of the genus Hypericum (family Hypericaceae), especially Hypericum perforatum, native to Europe and Asia and widely naturalized elsewhere, bearing clusters of bright five-petaled yellow flowers and leaves dotted with translucent oil glands.
Example
"Clusters of golden St. John's wort bloomed along the sunny roadside in late June."
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Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of St. john's wort. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/st.-john's-wort