noun
wort
wurt
noun
1
A plant, especially one used for food or medicine — often the second half of a plant's name, as in "St. John's wort."
"Herbalists have used liverwort for centuries."
2
The sweet liquid extracted from mashed malt or grain before it's fermented into beer or whisky.
"The brewer checked the wort's sugar level before adding yeast."
How to Use Wort
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither an old word for a plant/herb, or the unfermented liquid used in brewing beer.
Common pairings
boil the wort
St. John's wort
Word Forms
worts plural, worts plural
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “wort”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The brewer checked the _____'s sugar level before adding yeast.
Etymology
From Old English wyrt, meaning "root, herb, or plant" — the same root as "root" itself and related to "orchard."