Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

tarragon

/ˈtæɹəɡɑn/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.48 in modern English

Syllables: tar-ra-gon
IPA: /ˈtæɹəɡɑn/

9

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

3

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A perennial herb, the wormwood species Artemisia dracunculus, from Europe and parts of Asia.

Uncountable

noun

The leaves of this plant (either fresh, or preserved in a vinegar/oil mixture) used as a seasoning.

Uncountable

Example Sentences

"Herbs like tarragon are better preserved in vinegar, since tarragon loses its flavor when dried."

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French targon (cf. modern estragon), from Medieval Latin tragonia, from Arabic طَرْخُون (ṭarḵūn), ultimately from Ancient Greek δρακόντιον (drakóntion, “dragonwort, Dracunculus vulgaris”), from δράκων (drákōn, “dragon, serpent”). Doublet of estragon.

Origin

Source language: Middle French

Word Breakdown

Root: *derḱ-, targon, tragonia, طَرْخُون, δρακόντιον

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈtæɹəɡɑn/
British English: /ˈtæɹəɡən/

Usage

Uncountable

Inflected Forms

tarragons (plural)

Phrases

Mexican tarragon

Synonyms

estragon dragon's wort French tarragon Russian tarragon silky wormwood wild tarragon artemisia dracunculus

Questions

How do you pronounce tarragon?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈtæɹəɡɑn/.
What does tarragon mean?: A perennial herb, the wormwood species Artemisia dracunculus, from Europe and parts of Asia.
Where does tarragon come from?: It is traced to Middle French.

How to pronounce tarragon

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “tarragon”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈtæɹəɡɑn/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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