absinthe

See also: absînthe, Absinthe, and absinthé

English

Glasses of absinthe with slotted spoons and sugar cubes.

Alternative forms

Etymology

French absinthe, from Latin absinthium, from Ancient Greek ἀψίνθιον (apsínthion, wormwood).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈæb.sɪnθ/

Noun

absinthe (countable and uncountable, plural absinthes)

  1. The herb absinthium Artemisia absinthium (grande wormwood); essence of wormwood. [First attested around 1350 to 1470.][1]
  2. (figuratively) Bitterness; sorrow[1]. [First attested around 1350 to 1470.][1]
  3. A distilled, highly alcoholic, anise-flavored liquor originally made from grande wormwood, anise, and other herbs. [First attested in the mid 19th century.][1]
  4. A moderate yellow green; absinthe green. [First attested in the late 19th century.][1]
    absinthe green colour:  
  5. (US) Sagebrush.

Usage notes

  • (wormwood): Absinth is the preferred spelling of this sense only[1].

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Lesley Brown (editor), The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, 5th edition (Oxford University Press, 2003 [1933], →ISBN), page 9

Anagrams


French

absinthe

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin absinthium.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ap.sɛ̃t/
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Noun

absinthe f (plural absinthes)

  1. wormwood (Artemisia absinthium)
  2. absinthe

Further reading

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