woodruff
American Heritage Dictionary:
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wood·ruff
(wʊd'rəf, -rŭf') 
n.
n.
- A fragrant perennial herb (Galium odoratum) native to Eurasia and North Africa and widely cultivated as a shade ground cover, having small white flowers and narrow leaves used for flavoring wine and in sachets. Also called sweet woodruff.
- Any of various plants of the genus Asperula, having whorled leaves and small funnel-shaped flowers.
[Middle English woderofe, from Old English wudurofe : wudu, wood + -rofe, of unknown meaning.]
Oxford Food & Nutrition Dictionary:
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woodruff
A wild plant of woodlands on chalk or limestone (Galium odoratum); the leaves have the smell and flavour of new mown hay, and are used to flavour alcoholic or fruit drinks, or to make a herb tea.
Barron's Food Lover's Companion:
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woodruff
Often described as having the smell of freshly cut hay, woodruff is the leaf of a ground cover native to Europe. Its most famous use is as a flavoring in may wine, a white-wine punch popular in Germany. In Germany and Austria, woodruff is also used to season sausages, candies and many cooked dishes. Live plants are available through many nurseries, and the dried herb is available in gourmet stores and through mail order. Also called sweet woodruff.
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Copyrights:
American Heritage Dictionary
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Oxford Food & Nutrition Dictionary
A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. Copyright © 1995, 2003, 2005 by A. E. Bender and D. A. Bender. All rights reserved.
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Barron's Food Lover's Companion
Food Lover's Companion. Copyright © 2001 by Barron's Educational Series, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Random House Word Menu
© 2010 Write Brothers Inc. Word Menu is a registered trademark of the Estate of Stephen Glazier.
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Mentioned in
Woodroof
(family name)
May wine
(still white wine with woodruff flavoring)
The Follies Girl
(1919 Crime Film)
» More