noun

wormwood

WUHM-wuud

noun

A very bitter herb used in medicine and in making absinthe and vermouth.

"Wormwood gives absinthe its distinctive bitter edge."

Something that causes bitterness, grief, or resentment.

"The betrayal was wormwood to her for years afterward."

How to Use Wormwood

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA bitter herb, or figuratively, a source of bitterness or grief.

Common mistake

Despite the spelling, it has no real connection to "worm" — that's just how the word evolved over time.

wormwoods plural, Wormwoods plural

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_____ gives absinthe its distinctive bitter edge.

From Old English "wermōd," reshaped over time to look like "worm" plus "wood," though it has nothing to do with worms. It's a relative of "vermouth."

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