wort Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun usually used in combination: `liverwort'; `milkwort'; `whorlywort'
  2. noun unfermented or fermenting malt

WordNet

Wort noun
Etymology
OE. wort, wurt, AS. wyrt herb, root; akin to OS. wurt, G. wurz, Icel. jurt, urt, Dan. urt, Sw. ört, Goth. waúrts a root, L. radix, Gr. a root, a branch, young shoot, a branch, and E. root, n. Cf. Licorice, Orchard, Radish, Root, n., Whortleberry, Wort an infusion of malt.
Definitions
  1. (Bot.) A plant of any kind. ✍ This word is now chiefly used in combination, as in colewort, figwort, St. John's-wort, woundwort, etc.
  2. pl. Cabbages.
Wort noun
Etymology
OE. worte, wurte, AS. wyrte; akin to OD. wort, G. würze, bierwürze, Icel. virtr, Sw. vört. See Wort an herb.
Definitions
  1. An infusion of malt which is unfermented, or is in the act of fermentation; the sweet infusion of malt, which ferments and forms beer; hence, any similar liquid in a state of incipient fermentation. ✍ Wort consists essentially of a dilute solution of sugar, which by fermentation produces alcohol and carbon dioxide.

Webster 1913