woodruff

¹ American  

[wood-ruhf, -ruhf] / ˈwʊd rəf, -ˌrʌf /

noun

1. any of several plants belonging to the genus Asperula or Galium, of the madder family, as G. odoratum sweet woodruff, a fragrant plant with small white flowers.

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Woodruff ² American  

[wood-ruhf] / ˈwʊd rəf /

noun

1. Hiram, 1817–67, Canadian driver, trainer, and breeder of harness-racing horses.

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woodruff British  

/ ˈwʊdrʌf /

noun

1. any of several rubiaceous plants of the genus Galium , esp G. odoratum ( sweet woodruff ), of Eurasia, which has small sweet-scented white flowers and whorls of narrow fragrant leaves used to flavour wine and liqueurs and in perfumery

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Etymology

Origin of woodruff

before 1000; Middle English woderove, Old English wudurofe, wudurife, equivalent to wudu wood ¹ + -rofe, -rife, element of uncertain meaning; compare German Rübe carrot