tarragon

noun

1. an Old World plant, Artemisia dracunculus, having aromatic leaves used for seasoning.
2. the leaves themselves.

noun

1. an aromatic perennial plant, Artemisia dracunculus, of the Old World, having whitish flowers and small toothed leaves, which are used as seasoning: family Asteraceae (composites)
2. the leaves of this plant

n.1530s, from Medieval Latin tragonia, from Byzantine Greek tarchon, from Arabic tarkhon, from a non-Arabic source, perhaps Greek drakon (from drakontion “dragonwort”). Eastern European plant of the wormwood genus (Artemisia Dracunculus), whose aromatic leaves were used for flavoring (especially vinegar). Cf. Spanish taragona, Italian targone, French estragon.