wortcunning

English

Alternative forms

• wort-cunning, wort cunning

Etymology

wort +‎ cunning

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈwɜːtˌkʌnɪŋ/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈwɝtˌkʌnɪŋ/

Noun

wortcunning (uncountable) (archaic)

1. Knowledge of the medicinal uses of plants and herbs.
   • 1864, Thomas Oswald Cockayne, Leechdoms, Wortcunning, and Starcraft of Early England:

     (see title)

   • 1882 September 3, The Pharmaceutical Journal and Transactions, page 208:

     Evidence of the universal belief in wortcunning at this period is found in one of the Proverbs of Alfred.

   • 2003, Mark Morton, The Lover's Tongue: A Merry Romp Through the Language of Love and Sex:

     Perhaps the oldest word for penis in the English language is tarse, first recorded in an eleventh-century book of wort-cunning, that is, a medical treatise explaining the use of various herbs or worts.

   • 2004, Oberon Zell-Ravenheart, Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard, →ISBN:

     I think that the most important thing about wortcunning is learning to grow and harvest the herbs yourself.

   • 2008, Christopher Penczak, The Living Temple of Witchcraft Volume One: The Descent of the Goddess:

     Wort cunning is knowledge of the herbs.

   • 2013, Christopher Penczak, The Witch's Heart: The Magick of Perfect Love & Perfect Trust, →ISBN, page 49:

     You can find it in ancient Western magickal papyri, European wortcunning, Hoodoo, and Santería.

   • 2017, NH Kerr, Signy Kráka - Part 2: A story of völva magic and survival in Viking Scandinavia:

     Signy lost herself in the wort-cunning and was surprised when Helga called their work to a halt.

   • 2017, Jon C. Stott, Beer 101 North:

     While Robert and I were chatting generally about the craft brewing explosion, Piper arrived in the taproom. He didn't call her his “ale wife,” but it soon became apparent that she had “good wort cunning.”