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wormwood Definition

worm·wood (-wo̵od′)

noun

  1. any of a number of strong-smelling plants (genus Artemisia) of the composite family, with white or yellow flowers; esp., a Eurasian perennial (A. absinthium) that yields a bitter, dark-green oil (wormwood oil) formerly used in making absinthe
  2. a bitter, unpleasant, or mortifying experience

Etymology: ME wormwode, altered by folk etym. (infl. by worm, worm + wode, wood: from use as a vermifuge) < wermode < OE wermod, akin to Ger wermut (> Fr vermout, vermouth)

wormwood Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • become: One-third of the waters become wormwood ( or poisoned, or radioactive ).
  • contain: Absinthe reputedly has hallucinogenic properties it contains wormwood, a neurotoxin.

Modifies a noun

  • plant: Artemisinin is produced by a wormwood plant that naturally grows in Southeast Asian mangrove swamps.

Noun used with modifier

  • sea: The shingle bank formed from the erosion of Arm Hill is home to sea wormwood, another rare plant.
wormwood Quotes

For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil: But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.

—Bible (Old Testament)

And Isaid,My strengthand my hope isperished fromthe L: Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.

—Bible (Old Testament)

Browse dictionary entries near wormwood

  1. wormseed
  2. Worms
  3. wormroot
  4. wormlike
  5. wormhole
  6. worm wheel
  7. worm snake
  8. worm's-eye view
  9. worm out of
  10. worm lizard
  1. wormy
  2. worn
  3. worn-out
  4. worried
  5. worriment
  6. worrisome
  7. worry
  8. worry beads
  9. worrying
  10. worrywart