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• woodruff
  woodruff

  noun

  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.
• Woodruff
  Woodruff

  noun

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

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

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

woodruff Woodruff

Pentire also makes botanical, non-alcoholic spirits which don‘t fall into traditional booze categories. Their Seaward boasts “bright, zesty and verdant” flavors, with ingredients like sea rosemary, woodruff, sea buckhorn and pink grapefruit.

From Washington Times ● Jun. 28, 2023

Sweet woodruff is easy to grow and adapts to a wide range of garden conditions, although afternoon sun in high summer can scorch the foliage.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 29, 2023

Once flowering is over, sweet woodruff assumes a demure presence, growing 8 to 12 inches tall and as wide as you’ll allow.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 29, 2023

Bugleweed and sweet woodruff are two deep-shade lovers that do well in the Washington area.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 4, 2016

There was a slight drift of woodruff, sweet new-mown hay, scenting the air under the boughs.

From The White Peacock by D. H. (David Herbert) Lawrence

Bonda also volunteered at a mobile library project started by expat Debra Blake and Carol Woodruff, who splits time between Southern California and Baja.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 27, 2026

Blake, who co-founded the mobile library with Woodruff, arrived a few minutes later with food and more clothing.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 27, 2026

Roosevelt disliked Woodruff and kept him at arm’s length, although he did allow Pinchot to hire Woodruff at the Agriculture Department.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 13, 2026

"It's like a crowded bar," said David Hu, a professor in Georgia Tech's George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering and the School of Biological Sciences.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 22, 2026

She went to Mary A. Woodruff, and I knew she was home because I'd had this letter from her a couple of weeks ago.

From "The Catcher in the Rye" by J. D. Salinger