Meanings
nounmoonwort (plural moonworts)
plural moonworts
- A small fern, Botrychium lunaria (lesser moonwort); later, any member of the genus.First known use 15th c.
Moonwort is an herb which they say will open locks, and unshoe such horses as tread upon it.
1653, Nicholas Culpeper, The English Physician Enlarged, Folio Society, published 2007, page 194 - UKUSregionalLunaria annua (greater moonwort); also known as honesty and annual honesty.First known use 16th c.
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
Translations
Finnish ketonoidanlukko, kesäkuuruoho
- ketonoidanlukkoBotrychium lunaria
- kesäkuuruohoLunaria annua
Hungarian holdruta, kerti holdviola
- holdrutaBotrychium lunaria
- kerti holdviolaLunaria annua
Icelandic tungljurt
- tungljurtBotrychium lunaria
Japanese 姫花蕨, 合田草
- 姫花蕨 (hime-hanawarabi)Botrychium lunaria
- 合田草 (goudasou)Lunaria annua
Polish podejźrzon
- podejźrzonBotrychium lunaria
Romanian limba-cucului
- limba-cuculuiBotrychium lunaria
Welsh lloer-redyn
- lloer-redynBotrychium lunaria
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
APA
moonwort. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/moonwort
MLA
“moonwort.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/moonwort. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “moonwort,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/moonwort.
Source: moonwort on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.