Meanings
plural southernwoods
- countableuncountableAn aromatic shrub, Artemisia abrotanum, related to wormwood.
To use a strong decoction of the vegetable bitters as a substitute for alcohol—such, for example as wormwood, chamomile, horehound, southernwood and tanzy.
1833, New England Farmer, volume 11, page 431 more example
According to the Roman Pliny the Elder, author of Historia Naturalis, southernwood was conducive to sexual excitement when the plant was placed under the bed.
1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs, New York: The Citadel Press, page 227Synonyms: appleringie, appleringy, boy's love, lad's love, southern wormwood
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAn aromatic shrub, Artemisia abrotanum, related to wormwood.
More synonyms by meaning
nounshrubby European wormwood naturalized in North America; sometimes used in brewing beer
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Old Englishsūþernewudu
- Englishsouthernwood
From Old English sūþernewudu, equivalent to southern + wood.
More words from Old English
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek ἀβρότονον
- ἀβρότονον (abrótonon)Artemisia abrotanum
Bulgarian катринка, божо дръвче
- катринка (katrinka)Artemisia abrotanum
- божо дръвче (božo drăvče)Artemisia abrotanum
Catalan broida, abròtan
- broidaArtemisia abrotanum
- abròtanArtemisia abrotanum
Chinese Mandarin 青蒿
- 青蒿 (qīnghāo)Artemisia abrotanum
Dutch averuit, citroenkruid
- averuitArtemisia abrotanum
- citroenkruidArtemisia abrotanum
Esperanto abrotano
- abrotanoArtemisia abrotanum
Finnish aaprottimaruna
- aaprottimarunaArtemisia abrotanum
German Eberraute
- EberrauteArtemisia abrotanum
Italian abrotano
- abrotanoArtemisia abrotanum
Japanese 翁蓬, 西洋河原人参
- 翁蓬 (okinayomogi)Artemisia abrotanum
- 西洋河原人参 (seiyō kawaraninjin)Artemisia abrotanum
- 木立蓬 (kidachiyomogi)Artemisia abrotanum
- サザンウッド (sazan'uddo)Artemisia abrotanum
Latin abrotonum
- abrotonumArtemisia abrotanum
Lithuanian diẽmedis
- diẽmedisArtemisia abrotanum
Norwegian Bokmål abrodd, abrot
- abroddArtemisia abrotanum
- abrotArtemisia abrotanum
Polish bylica boże drzewko, boże drzewko
- bylica boże drzewkoArtemisia abrotanum
- boże drzewkoArtemisia abrotanum
Portuguese abrótano-macho
- abrótano-machoArtemisia abrotanum
Romanian lemnul-Domnului
- lemnul-DomnuluiArtemisia abrotanum
Russian полы́нь лече́бная, полы́нь высо́кая
- полы́нь лече́бная (polýnʹ lečébnaja)Artemisia abrotanum
- полы́нь высо́кая (polýnʹ vysókaja)Artemisia abrotanum
- полы́нь лимо́нная (polýnʹ limónnaja)Artemisia abrotanum
- бо́жье де́рево (bóžʹje dérevo)Artemisia abrotanum
Spanish abrótano
- abrótanoArtemisia abrotanum
Swedish åbrodd
- åbroddArtemisia abrotanum
Cite this entry
southernwood. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/southernwood
“southernwood.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/southernwood. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “southernwood,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/southernwood.
Source: southernwood on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.