wormwood
wormwood Lexical Profile
wormwood Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A woody shrub (Artemisia absinthium) native to Eurasia and North Africa, noted for its extreme bitterness and traditionally used as a primary flavoring ingredient in absinthe and as a medicinal herb.
"The distinctively bitter and anise-like flavor of the green spirit is derived largely from the leaves of the wormwood plant."
A state or source of deep bitterness, profound grief, or lasting resentment.
"The betrayal of his closest friend remained wormwood to his soul, souring even his greatest achievements."
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'wermōd', related to German 'Wermut' (vermouth). The modern English spelling is the result of folk etymology, altering the word to resemble 'worm' and 'wood' due to its historical use as an anthelmintic (a medicine used to expel intestinal worms).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.