woodruff
woodruff Lexical Profile
woodruff Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A low-growing woodland perennial plant of the madder family (especially Galium odoratum, or sweet woodruff), native to Europe and Asia, featuring whorls of fragrant, lance-shaped leaves and loose clusters of small, star-shaped white flowers that release a sweet, hay-like scent when dried.
"Sweet woodruff makes an attractive ground cover in shaded woodland gardens and blooms with delicate white flowers in spring."
The dried, aromatic leaves and stems of the sweet woodruff plant, traditionally used as a flavoring for May wine, punches, syrups, and confections, or placed among linens as a scenting agent.
"The traditional German spring punch is infused with woodruff to give it a subtly sweet, vanilla-like aroma."
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'wudurofe', a compound of 'wudu' (wood, forest) and 'rofe' (of uncertain origin, though later associated by folk etymology with 'ruff' due to its wheel-like whorls of leaves).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.