A bitter aromatic plant used in making absinthe and traditional medicines; also used metaphorically to describe something bitter or grievous.
From Old English 'wermod', possibly from 'wer' (man) + 'mod' (courage), referring to its use as a tonic. Folk etymology later connected it to worms and wood due to its use as a vermifuge (worm expeller).
Wormwood's reputation for bitterness made it a powerful biblical metaphor for sorrow and punishment - it appears in Revelation as a star that makes waters bitter. The plant's association with absinthe and its supposed hallucinogenic properties added another layer of mystique to this already potent symbol.
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