chamomile

American  

[kam-uh-mahyl, -meel] / ˈkæm əˌmaɪl, -ˌmil /

Or camomile

noun

chamomiles plural

1. a composite plant, Chamaemelium nobile (orAnthemis nobilis ), native to the Old World, having strongly scented foliage and white ray flowers with yellow centers used medicinally and as a tea.

2. any of several allied plants of the genera Matricaria and Tripleurospermum.

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chamomile British  

/ ˈkæməˌmaɪl /

noun

1. a variant spelling of camomile

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• chamomiles
  plural

Etymology

Origin of chamomile

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English camamyll, camomille, from Middle French, Old French camomille or Medieval Latin camomilla, for Latin chamaemēlon, from Greek chamaímēlon, equivalent to chamaí “on the ground” + mêlon “apple”; allegedly so called from the applelike odor of the flowers

Explanation

Chamomile is a plant with pretty little white flowers and a sweet smell. Dried chamomile is often used to make herbal tea. You might grow chamomile in your garden for its blossoms, which look like tiny daisies, or for its smell, which is a little bit like apples. Chamomile tea is well-known for helping you sleep well at night, and most people like the way it tastes, too. You can also spell it camomile, and its root goes back to the Greek word khamaimēlon, "earth apple," from khamai, "on the ground," and mēlon, "apple."

Example Sentences

Bottle bio: Another Rías Baixas Albariño, this comes from Galicia, Spain, and has flavors of white peach, citrus peel, chamomile, wet stone and sea spray.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026

Lately I’ve been cold-brewing a few favorites: Numi Organic’s Yuzu Bancha, Pukka Three Mint and a good chamomile.

From Salon • Mar. 9, 2026

The long-term sleep benefits of magnesium and melatonin have been scientifically proven, yet for ingredients like chamomile, any documented positive sleep impacts appear to be short-term, with placebo effects commonly occurring.

From BBC • Mar. 5, 2026

The pairing of Rockwell and Goggins, simply sipping on scotch and chamomile tea as it all unfolded, was stunning to watch.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 2025

I noticed the soft yellow globes of chamomile flowers on the path I hiked most afternoons.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan