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wild chamomile

wild chamomile

7.1
A small annual herb with a strong smell and bitter taste used in teas and medicine
  • noun
  • /waɪld ˈkæməˌmaɪl/
  • UK
translation icon : manzanilla silvestre
  • Many people use wild chamomile in teas, though its flavor is notably more bitter than true chamomile.

Examples

  • Although wild chamomile is similar medicinally, some herbalists prefer the traditional variety for its milder taste.

  • We found wild chamomile growing along the field, its scent filling the summer air.

  • I found some wild chamomile growing in the garden.

  • The wild chamomile smells similar to regular chamomile.

  • Many people use wild chamomile in teas, though its flavor is notably more bitter than true chamomile.

  • Although wild chamomile resembles traditional chamomile, its taste is distinctly more bitter and less favored.

  • Herbalists often recommend wild chamomile for its unique fragrance, despite its less effective medicinal properties.

Synonyms

German chamomile
vswild chamomile
  • Specialized
7.1

A small flowering herb used to make a calming tea and essential oil, with a slightly bitter taste

is a similar Eurasian herb seen as less effective and more bitter
Matricaria chamomilla
vswild chamomile
  • Specialized
8.3

A European herb with small white flowers used to make calming tea

is a related herb noted for stronger bitterness and lower effectiveness
Matricaria recutita
vswild chamomile
  • Specialized
9.6

A small annual herb like chamomile with fragrant flowers used in tea to help relax

is considered more bitter and less effective than that herb
sweet false chamomile
vswild chamomile
  • UK
8.8

A plant like chamomile that grows for one year, tastes more bitter, and helps mild stomach problems

is similar but judged more bitter and less effective

Surface Forms

Morphology

wild + chamomile

The meaning is directly compositional: 'wild' (growing naturally) modifies 'chamomile' (the herb), so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer it denotes chamomile growing in the wild. This adjective+noun pattern is a regular, cross-linguistically common construction, making the sense immediately understandable from the constituents.

Etymology

Wild chamomile The name wild chamomile may come from a wild version of garden chamomile that grows in fields and is not looked after by gardeners. That's why it means a chamomile-like herb that tastes more 'bitter' and is seen as 'less effective' than the true garden chamomile.