Frogwort

/ˈfrɔɡwɜrt/ noun

Definition

A plant supposedly associated with frogs, found in damp habitats, or named for a fancied resemblance to frogs; possibly a folk medicinal herb.

Etymology

Compound of 'frog' + 'wort' (suffix meaning plant or herb). Medieval herbalists often gave plants names referencing the creatures or environments where they thrived, so frogwort likely grew in frog-rich wetlands.

Kelly Says

Medieval herbalists gave plants wildly descriptive names—'frogwort' probably grew in the same boggy places as frogs, and in traditional medicine, habitat sometimes determined whether something was believed to treat frog-related ailments or conditions.

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