Where does “tarragon” come from?

Tarragon comes from Middle French targon, from Medieval Latin tragonia, from Arabic طَرْخُون, from Ancient Greek δρακόντιον, derived from δράκων meaning dragon, ultimately from the root δέρκομαι meaning to see, traceable to Proto-Indo-European derḱ-.

tarragon (English): A perennial herb, the wormwood species "Artemisia...

Definitions

  1. A perennial herb, the wormwood species "Artemisia...

Ancestry of “tarragon”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchtargon—
2Medieval Latintragonia—
3Arabicطَرْخُونtarragon; "Artemisia dracunculus"
4Ancient Greekδρακόντιονedder-wort
5Ancient GreekΔράκωνDraco
6Ancient Greekδέρκομαιto see, see clearly; to watch; to live
7Proto-Hellenic*dérkomai—
Every word from Proto-Hellenic *dérkomai →Every word from Ancient Greek δέρκομαι →Every word from Ancient Greek Δράκων →