Clovewort

/ˈkloʊvˌwɜrt/ noun

Definition

A plant name, likely referring to a plant resembling clover or having properties similar to the clove plant; used in historical herbalism.

Etymology

From clove + wort (an Old English word meaning 'plant' or 'herb'). Medieval herbalists commonly named plants using 'wort' combined with descriptive words, as in mugwort, figwort, and ragwort.

Kelly Says

The ending '-wort' is basically the medieval equivalent of scientific naming—herbalists would say 'clovewort' the way we'd say 'clover-plant,' and hundreds of traditional plant names still end in '-wort' today.

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