The word "wormwood" originates from Old English 'wermōd', which was influenced by the similarity of the plant's leaves to the shape of wormwood's leaves or its traditional use as a remedy for intestinal worms. The 'worm' component is not related to the modern invertebrate but derives from the Proto-Germanic 'wurmiz', meaning serpent or dragon, likely alluding to the plant's bitter, "biting" taste. The 'wood' element comes from Old English 'wudu', meaning plant or tree, a common suffix for plants in Germanic languages. Over time, the plant's intense bitterness led to its name becoming a metaphor for something causing profound grief or resentment, as famously referenced in the biblical phrase "wormwood and gall."

Structure: worm + wood worm: Old English, 'wyrm'. In this compound, it refers to a serpent or dragon, not the modern earthworm. wood: Old English, 'wudu'. Refers to a plant, tree, or the substance from a tree.