St. John's Wort
/ˌseɪnt ˈdʒɒnz ˌwɜːt/noun
A yellow-flowered herb of the genus Hypericum, traditionally used in herbal medicine.
Did you know?St. John’s wort got its name because it traditionally blooms around St. John the Baptist’s feast day, and in European folk magic it was hung or burned as a protective charm against evil.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
wyrt
“plant, herb, or vegetable”
Middle English
ME
worte / wort
“plant, herb”
Late Middle English
ME
Seynt Iohnes wort
“St. John’s herb; the plant associated with St. John’s Day”
Modern English
English
St. John's wort
“the medicinal flowering plant Hypericum perforatum and related species”