wort
wort
UK[wɜːt]US[wɜːrt]
n
A plant, herb, or vegetable, especially one used for food or medicine.
n
In brewing, the liquid extract from malted grain before it is fermented into beer.
Etymology
The word 'wort' descends directly from the Old English 'wyrt', meaning root, herb, or plant. This Old English term can be traced back to the Proto-Germanic 'wurtiz', which itself originates from the Proto-Indo-European root 'wr̥h₂d-', meaning root or branch. The semantic journey is straightforward, maintaining its core meaning of a plant or its useful part. Its specialized meaning in brewing—the sweet infusion of malt—developed from its general association with a plant-based infusion or extract, showcasing how a broad term can acquire a precise technical application.
Analysis
This is a simplex word of Old English origin. It functions as a noun.
Examples
St. John's wort is a common herbal remedy.
The brewer checked the specific gravity of the cooling wort.
In old herbals, many a wort was described for its medicinal virtues.