Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun An aromatic Eurasian herb (Artemisia dracunculus) in the composite family, having linear to lance-shaped leaves and small whitish-green flower heads arranged in loose spreading panicles.
  • noun The leaves of this plant used as a seasoning.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A composite plant, Artemisia Dracunculus, native in Russia and temperate Asia.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Bot.) A plant of the genus Artemisa (Artemisa dracunculus), much used in France for flavoring vinegar.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A perennial herb, the wormwood species Artemisia dracunculus, from Europe and parts of Asia.
  • noun The leaves of this plant (either fresh, or preserved in vinegar / oil mixture) used as a seasoning.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun aromatic perennial of southeastern Russia
  • noun fresh leaves (or leaves preserved in vinegar) used as seasoning

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[New Latin tarchon, from Medieval Greek tarkhōn, from Arabic ṭarḫūn, perhaps from Greek drakōn, dragon, tarragon; see derk- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle French targon, from Medieval Latin, from Arabic طرخون (Tarkhuun)

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Examples

  • I’ve been attempting to grow an indoor herb garden, and several of my plants have responded heroically to the not-so-ideal horticultural conditions of my apartment: the French tarragon is lacing its way across the window sill; the chocolate mint has exploded with long, leafy stems; the purple sage surprises me daily with new, velvety growth; and the Greek basil has puffed into several large globes of fragrant, delicate leaves.

    Archive 2007-07-01 Homesick Texan 2007

  • I’ve been attempting to grow an indoor herb garden, and several of my plants have responded heroically to the not-so-ideal horticultural conditions of my apartment: the French tarragon is lacing its way across the window sill; the chocolate mint has exploded with long, leafy stems; the purple sage surprises me daily with new, velvety growth; and the Greek basil has puffed into several large globes of fragrant, delicate leaves.

    With patience comes pickles | Homesick Texan Homesick Texan 2007

  • I love the idea of tarragon or basil pesto in this salad too.

    Garden Cucumber Salad Recipe with Tuna and Sweet Basil Kalyn Denny 2008

  • Five cents 'worth of bay-leaves from the drug shop win complete the list (save tarragon, which is hard to find), and you have for a quarter of a dollar herbs enough to last

    Miss Parloa's New Cook Book Maria Parloa 1876

  • From it also is made the vinegar known as tarragon vinegar, which is employed by the French in mixing their mustard.

    The Book of Household Management Isabella Mary 1861

  • From it also is made the vinegar known as tarragon vinegar, which is employed by the French in mixing their mustard.

    The Book of Household Management Isabella Mary 1861

  • In Texas they're called tarragon, in South America they're turned into perfume, and in England you put them on to wash dishes.

    Wired Top Stories Ken Denmead 2012

  • Do you think this process would work for my other favorite herb "tarragon"?

    How to Freeze Fresh Basil Kalyn Denny 2008

  • It makes me wonder what kind of tarragon I have growing in my herb bed!

    Sauteed Chicken Breasts Recipe with Tarragon-Mustard Pan Sauce Kalyn Denny 2008

  • The wines were dark purple, with blackberries and herbs such as tarragon and rosemary on the nose, sometimes along with a bit of lilac.

    Sipping Sicily's Nero d'Avola stings DOROTHY J. GAITER 2008

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