Garlicwort

/ˈɡɑːrlɪkwɜːrt/ noun

Definition

A plant that resembles garlic or has a garlic-like smell or taste.

Etymology

From garlic + wort (Old English wyrt 'plant, herb'). The wort suffix appears in many plant names: mugwort, figwort, liverwort, reflecting an old method of naming plants by their characteristics.

Kelly Says

Medieval healers used 'wort' names like nature's filing system—'garlicwort' told you immediately that a plant had garlic properties, so you'd know what medicinal purpose it served without lengthy descriptions.

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