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)