A chemical compound found in tarragon and anise that gives these plants their distinctive licorice-like flavor and aroma.
From estragole (the correct chemical name) or a variant spelling, combining estrag- (from tarragon) + -ol (chemical suffix for alcohols). Also known as 4-allylanisole, it's a naturally occurring organic compound.
Estragol is why tarragon smells like licorice—the same molecule appears in fennel and anise, explaining why completely unrelated plants in different families can taste strikingly similar.
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