wormwood
noun
worm·wood
ˈwərm-ˌwu̇d 
1
: artemisia
especially
: a European plant (Artemisia absinthium) that has silvery silky-haired leaves and drooping yellow flower heads and yields a bitter dark green oil used in absinthe
2
: something bitter or grievous : bitterness
Examples of wormwood in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The key ingredients in absinthe are anise, fennel, and—most importantly—wormwood.
—
Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 8 Mar. 2024
The ingredients vary, but generally include quinine, wormwood, citrus peel, vanilla, gentian root, thyme, ginger, and baking spices.
—Jason Wilson, Travel + Leisure, 3 Dec. 2023
The table is offered in either rustic wormwood or a darker ebony rustic.
—Shannon Quimby, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Oct. 2023
Roots Divino Bianco: This complex, botanical take on vermouth comes in dry (with wormwood and rosemary) and sweet (orange peel and gentian root) varieties.
—Monica Khemsurov, New York Times, 28 July 2023
This Vermut is a combination of two types of sherry that are fortified with a brandy made from red grapes of the region, and is finally aromatized with wormwood, nutmeg, cardamom, and vanilla bean.
—Tom Hyland, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2023
Malört, the Swedish word for wormwood, is the ingredient that gives the spirit its notoriously unsavory flavor.
—Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 24 Mar. 2023
Tollius created this vermouth using a Niagara grape juice base and infusing it with botanicals like wormwood, angelica root, and gentian for a full 24 hours.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 15 Mar. 2023
It’s now known that wormwood, or at least some varieties of it, contains thujone, which can indeed cause seizures, and death, due to being a GABA antagonist.
—Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 20 Mar. 2010
Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 8 Mar. 2024
The ingredients vary, but generally include quinine, wormwood, citrus peel, vanilla, gentian root, thyme, ginger, and baking spices.
—Jason Wilson, Travel + Leisure, 3 Dec. 2023
The table is offered in either rustic wormwood or a darker ebony rustic.
—Shannon Quimby, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Oct. 2023
Roots Divino Bianco: This complex, botanical take on vermouth comes in dry (with wormwood and rosemary) and sweet (orange peel and gentian root) varieties.
—Monica Khemsurov, New York Times, 28 July 2023
This Vermut is a combination of two types of sherry that are fortified with a brandy made from red grapes of the region, and is finally aromatized with wormwood, nutmeg, cardamom, and vanilla bean.
—Tom Hyland, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2023
Malört, the Swedish word for wormwood, is the ingredient that gives the spirit its notoriously unsavory flavor.
—Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 24 Mar. 2023
Tollius created this vermouth using a Niagara grape juice base and infusing it with botanicals like wormwood, angelica root, and gentian for a full 24 hours.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 15 Mar. 2023
It’s now known that wormwood, or at least some varieties of it, contains thujone, which can indeed cause seizures, and death, due to being a GABA antagonist.
—Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 20 Mar. 2010
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wormwood.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near wormwood
Cite this Entry
“Wormwood.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wormwood. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
wormwood
noun
worm·wood
ˈwərm-ˌwu̇d
1
: a European plant that is related to the daisies and yields a bitter dark green oil
2
: something bitter or painful
it was wormwood for him to accept charity
Medical Definition
wormwood
noun
worm·wood
ˈwərm-ˌwu̇d
: artemisia sense 2
especially
: a European plant (Artemisia absinthium) yielding a bitter slightly aromatic dark green oil used in absinthe
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