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Meaning & use

camomile

noun·EverydayBritish

Last updated

UK/ˈkæməmaɪl/
US/ˈkæməˌmaɪl/

Meanings

  1. noununcountable

    A low plant with small white flowers and yellow centers, used for making a calming herbal drink.

    Grammar: Mass noun for the plant or its flowers: some camomile grows by the path.

    Patterns

    • camomile flowers
    • a patch of camomile

    Camomile grew wild along the edge of the field.

    She planted camomile in a pot on the windowsill.

    The bees were busy among the camomile flowers.

  2. nouncountable or uncountable

    A tea made from the dried flowers of this plant, often drunk in the evening to help people relax.

    Grammar: Uncountable for the drink in general, countable when ordering: two camomiles, please.

    Patterns

    • a cup of camomile
    • camomile tea

    I usually drink camomile before bed.

    He ordered a camomile because coffee kept him awake.

    A mug of warm camomile helped her settle down.

Common combinations

camomile tea
Camomile tea is popular as a bedtime drink.
camomile flowers
Dried camomile flowers were scattered in the tea tin.
a cup of camomile
She poured a cup of camomile for her guest.
camomile lawn
The old garden had a soft camomile lawn.
soothing camomile
Soothing camomile is a common choice for a sore throat.

Synonyms and how they differ

chamomile
This is the American spelling of the same word, with no difference in meaning.
herbal tea
This is a much wider category that includes mint, fennel and many other plants.
tisane
This is a more formal word for any herbal drink, whereas camomile names one particular plant.

Word family

chamomile noun
the American spelling of camomile
camomile tea noun
a drink made from the dried flowers
German chamomile noun
the main species used for tea

Commonly confused: camomile or calamine? camomile or chamomile?

camomile vs calamine

Calamine is a pink lotion used on irritated skin, not a plant or tea, although the words look somewhat alike.

camomile vs chamomile

This is the American spelling of the same plant, so it is a variant, not a different word.

Practice

Which drink is traditionally taken before bed because it is thought to be calming?

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