[Vocabulary] wort

[mmasny]

I came across this word recently and started to wonder if it's still used or at least recognized.
The dictionaries say it's mostly used as a suffix in plants' names (a list). Do you know it and use it as a regular noun meaning plant simply?

American Heritage gives this meaning too: an infusion of malt that is fermented to make beer. But it seems to be specialistic, so probably unknown to you.

 

[emsr2d2]

I came across this word recently and started to wonder if it's still used or at least recognized.
The dictionaries say it's mostly used as a suffix in plants' names (a list). Do you know it and use it as a regular noun meaning plant simply?

American Heritage gives this meaning too: an infusion of malt that is fermented to make beer. But it seems to be specialistic, so probably unknown to you.

The most common useage (in the UK, at least) is in the herbal remedy St John's Wort. I doubt most people actually know the origin of the word, simply that it is part of the name of that particular plant. I certainly wouldn't be inclined to use it as a general suffix.

 

[mmasny]

Thanks!