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

Other options include Goodnite dark chocolate sleep bites, containing L-theanine and melatonin; Lagoon's Night Bites, which feature L-theanine and magnesium; and Good Day Chocolate's "Calm" range, infused with magnesium, L-theanine and chamomile.

From BBC • Mar. 5, 2026

For a bargain option, check out Trader Joe's Well Rested Herbal Tea, which touts chamomile, spearmint, peppermint, blackberry leaves, and rosebuds.

From Salon • Apr. 18, 2025

I’m probably home, watching some more “British Bake Off,” “The Office” or something cozy, making myself some chamomile tea and reading.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2025

We mostly drink chamomile tea at the Ranch, because we grow and dry the flowers ourselves.

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy