motherwort

noun

plural -s

1

: a plant of the genus Leonurus

especially : a bitter Old World mint (L. cardiaca) with dentate wedge-shaped leaves and axillary whorls of small purple flowers

2

: mugwort sense 1

3

: feverfew

4

: marsh milkweed

5

: moneywort

Word History

Etymology

Middle English moderwort, from moder mother + wort

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!