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At a Glance
- Meaning
- Bitter herb
- Origin
- Old English (folk-altered spelling)
- Pronunciation
- WERM-wuwd
Wormwood is an Old English name for a bitter herb, spelled this way through a folk-altered form of the older word 'wermod'. You'll often hear that it's named for the plant's power to expel intestinal worms, but that's folk etymology: the word's origin is uncertain, and it was later reshaped by sound-association with 'worm' and 'wood'. It's pronounced WERM-wuwd.
Meaning & Origin of Wormwood
Meaning: Bitter herb.
Origin: Old English (folk-altered spelling).
A common claim: Wormwood is often said to be named because the plant expels or cures intestinal worms Actually: This is folk etymology — the word actually comes from Old English 'wermod', of uncertain origin, later reshaped by sound-association with 'worm' and 'wood'.
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Wormwood
WERM-wuwdIPA /ˈwɜːrmwʊd/
Popularity of Wormwood
Wormwood does not appear in U.S. Social Security birth-name records (38,443 names on file, 1880–present) — likely too rare, too new, or recorded under a different spelling. No popularity rank or trend is shown rather than an invented one.
FAQ
What does the name Wormwood mean?
Bitter herb. (Source: Wiktionary)
How do you pronounce Wormwood?
Wormwood is pronounced WERM-wuwd (IPA: /ˈwɜːrmwʊd/).
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