Ajenjo

/aˈxɛnxo/ noun

Definition

The Spanish word for wormwood, an aromatic plant with a bitter taste used in herbal medicine and to flavor some alcoholic drinks.

Etymology

From Spanish 'ajenjo', derived from Latin 'absinthium' through Arabic influence. The word came to Spanish through the long history of cultural exchange in medieval Spain, particularly from Granada.

Kelly Says

Ajenjo connects three ancient traditions—Greek medicine, Islamic scholarship, and Spanish culture—all meeting in one bitter plant that makes absinthe the 'green fairy' of 19th-century Paris.

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