tarragon

tar·ra·gon
T1A1R1R1A1G2O1N1
US/ˈtæɹəɡɑn/US/ˈtæɹəɡən//ˈtɛɹəɡɑn//ˈtɛɹəɡən/

noun

A perennial herb, the wormwood species Artemisia dracunculus, from Europe and parts of Asia.

Similar
estragondragon's wortFrench tarragonRussian tarragonsilky wormwoodwild tarragonArtemisia dracunculus
OriginMiddle French targon ← Medieval Latin tragonia ← Arabic طَرْخُون →
Less commonScrabble 9
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Meanings

nountarragon (usually uncountable, plural tarragons)

plural tarragons

  1. uncountableusuallyA perennial herb, the wormwood species Artemisia dracunculus, from Europe and parts of Asia.
  2. uncountableusuallyThe leaves of this plant (either fresh, or preserved in a vinegar/oil mixture) used as a seasoning.

    Herbs like tarragon are better preserved in vinegar, since tarragon loses its flavor when dried.

    2016, Susan Belsinger, Arthur O. Tucker, The Culinary Herbal, Timber Press, →ISBN, page 299

Synonyms & antonyms

Similar
estragondragon's wortFrench tarragonRussian tarragonsilky wormwoodwild tarragon

nounaromatic perennial of southeastern Russia

Similar
estragonArtemisia dracunculus
Broader
artemisia

nounfresh leaves (or leaves preserved in vinegar) used as seasoning

Similar
estragon
Broader
herb
Also see
estragon

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekδρακόντιον“dragonwort, Dracunculus vulgaris”
  2. Arabicطَرْخُون
  3. Medieval Latintragonia
  4. Middle Frenchtargon
  5. Englishtarragon

Borrowed from Middle French targon (cf. modern estragon), from Medieval Latin tragonia, from Arabic طَرْخُون (ṭarḵūn), ultimately from Ancient Greek δρακόντιον (drakóntion, “dragonwort, Dracunculus vulgaris”), from δράκων (drákōn, “dragon, serpent”). Doublet of estragon.

More words from Middle French, Medieval Latin, Arabic

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek δρακόντιον
  • δρακόντιον (drakóntion)perennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
Arabic طَرْخُون, طَرْخُون
  • طَرْخُون (ṭarḵūn)perennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • طَرْخُون (ṭarḵūn)the leaves of Artemisia dracunculus
Bulgarian естрагон
  • естрагон (estragon)perennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
Catalan estragó, estragó
  • estragóperennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • estragóthe leaves of Artemisia dracunculus
Chinese Mandarin 蛇蒿, 龍蒿 /龙蒿
  • 蛇蒿 (shéhāo)perennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • 龍蒿 /龙蒿 (lónghāo)perennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • 狹葉青蒿 /狭叶青蒿 (xiáyè qīnghāo)perennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • 他拉根香草 (tālāgēn xiāngcǎo)perennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • 香艾菊 (xiāng'àijú)perennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • 蛇蒿 (shéhāo)the leaves of Artemisia dracunculus
  • 龍蒿 /龙蒿 (lónghāo)the leaves of Artemisia dracunculus
  • 狹葉青蒿 /狭叶青蒿 (xiáyè qīnghāo)the leaves of Artemisia dracunculus
  • 他拉根香草 (tālāgēn xiāngcǎo)the leaves of Artemisia dracunculus
  • 香艾菊 (xiāng'àijú)the leaves of Artemisia dracunculus
Czech pelyněk kozalec, estragon
  • pelyněk kozalecperennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • estragonthe leaves of Artemisia dracunculus
Danish estragon, estragon
  • estragonperennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • estragonthe leaves of Artemisia dracunculus
Dutch dragon
  • dragonperennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
Esperanto estragono, estragono
  • estragonoperennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • estragonothe leaves of Artemisia dracunculus
Estonian estragon, estragonpuju
  • estragonperennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • estragonpujuperennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • estragonthe leaves of Artemisia dracunculus
  • estragonpujuthe leaves of Artemisia dracunculus
Finnish rakuuna, rakuuna
  • rakuunaperennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • rakuunathe leaves of Artemisia dracunculus
French estragon, estragon
  • estragonperennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • estragonthe leaves of Artemisia dracunculus
German Estragon, Dragon
  • Estragonperennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • Dragonperennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • Dragunperennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • Drachantperennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • Bertramperennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • Estragonthe leaves of Artemisia dracunculus
  • Dragonthe leaves of Artemisia dracunculus
  • Dragunthe leaves of Artemisia dracunculus
  • Drachantthe leaves of Artemisia dracunculus
  • Bertramthe leaves of Artemisia dracunculus
Greek εστραγκόν, εστραγκόν
  • εστραγκόν (estragkón)perennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • εστραγκόν (estragkón)the leaves of Artemisia dracunculus
Hungarian tárkony, tárkony
  • tárkonyperennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • tárkonythe leaves of Artemisia dracunculus
Icelandic fáfnisgras, fáfnisgras
  • fáfnisgrasperennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • fáfnisgrasthe leaves of Artemisia dracunculus
  • estragonthe leaves of Artemisia dracunculus
Irish dragan, dragan
  • draganperennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • draganthe leaves of Artemisia dracunculus
Italian estragone, dragoncello
  • estragoneperennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • dragoncelloperennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
Japanese タラゴン, エストラゴン
  • タラゴン (taragon)perennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • エストラゴンperennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • タラゴンthe leaves of Artemisia dracunculus
Korean 타라곤
  • 타라곤 (taragon)perennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
Latin dracunculus
  • dracunculusperennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
Persian ترخون, ترخون
  • ترخونperennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • ترخون (tarxun)the leaves of Artemisia dracunculus
Polish estragon, estragon
  • estragonperennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • estragonthe leaves of Artemisia dracunculus
Portuguese estragão, estragão
  • estragãoperennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • estragãothe leaves of Artemisia dracunculus
Romanian tarhon, tarhon
  • tarhonperennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • tarhonthe leaves of Artemisia dracunculus
Russian эстраго́н, тарху́н
  • эстраго́н (estragón)perennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • тарху́н (tarxún)perennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • эстраго́н (estragón)the leaves of Artemisia dracunculus
  • тарху́н (tarxún)the leaves of Artemisia dracunculus
Spanish estragón, estragón
  • estragónperennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • estragónthe leaves of Artemisia dracunculus
Swedish dragon, dragon
  • dragonperennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • dragonthe leaves of Artemisia dracunculus
Tagalog estragon, estragon
  • estragonperennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • estragonthe leaves of Artemisia dracunculus
Turkish tarhun, tarhun
  • tarhunperennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • tarhunthe leaves of Artemisia dracunculus
Welsh taragon, amgwyn
  • taragonperennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • amgwynperennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • taragonthe leaves of Artemisia dracunculus
  • amgwynthe leaves of Artemisia dracunculus
Yiddish עסטראַגאָן, עסטראַגאָן
  • עסטראַגאָן (estragon)perennial herb Artemisia dracunculus
  • עסטראַגאָן (estragon)the leaves of Artemisia dracunculus

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

arrogantTongarra
Cite this entry
APA

tarragon. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tarragon

MLA

“tarragon.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tarragon. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “tarragon,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tarragon.

Source: tarragon on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.