Mugwyrt

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A perennial herbaceous plant known for its aromatic leaves; often used in traditional medicine and rituals; classified botanically in the aster family
2. A type of long-standing flowering plant with fragrant foliage; commonly utilized for therapeutic and spiritual purposes; belonging to a group of plants characterized by composite flowers
3. An enduring leafy herb with a distinctive scent; traditionally employed for healing and ceremonial functions; part of a family of herbaceous plants marked by clustered blossoms

Etymology: Mugwort is an Old English word, "mugwyrt", built from "mugga" (a midge, or perhaps "mycg", meaning midge or gnat) and "wyrt" (plant, herb). The commonly given reason is that the plant was used to repel midges, though the link between the two parts is a reconstruction rather than a documented fact, so treat it as a likely explanation. The "wyrt" element is the more widespread one. It is the same root as "root" and "wort", and it survives in many English plant names such as "St John's wort" and "liverwort". Old English speakers used "wyrt" for any herb or plant, which is why the word's second half looks like a generic term for greenery. Mugwort belongs to the wormwood group, and its name shows up in other languages too: German "Beifuß" and Dutch "bijvoet" both point to the same sense of a plant used as a charm or remedy. Because the plant was long grown and gathered for medicinal and magical purposes, its name has stayed in English for over a thousand years.

Synonyms: mugwort