tarragon

views updated May 17 2018

tarragon Leaves and flowering tops of the bushy perennial plant Artemisia dracunculus. Has a mild anise‐like flavour and is used to flavour pickles; it is one of the ingredients of fines herbes. Tarragon vinegar is made by steeping the fresh herb in white wine vinegar and is used in making sauce tartare and French mustard.

A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition DAVID A. BENDER

tarragon

views updated May 14 2018

tar·ra·gon / ˈtarəˌgän; -gən; ˈtər-/ • n. a perennial plant (Artemisia dracunculus) of the daisy family, with narrow aromatic leaves that are used as a culinary herb.

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English

tarragon

views updated May 21 2018

tarragon Perennial plant with liquorice-flavoured leaves used as a culinary herb. Family Asteraceae/Compositae; species Artemisia dracunculus.

World Encyclopedia

tarragon

views updated May 11 2018

tarragon XVI. Given first as repr. medL. tragonia and tarchon, the latter of which goes back to medGr. tarkhṓn, which may be an Arab. deformation of Gr. drákōn.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology T. F. HOAD