Acute: A condition or disease with a rapid onset that lasts a short period of time.
Amenorrhea: The absence of menstruation, or one or more missed menstrual periods.
Annual: A plant that completes its life cycle in one year or growing season.
Anorexia (anorexia nervosa): An eating disorder in which a person is without an appetite for food and loses more weight than is considered healthy.
Antiseptic: A substance that destroys infection-causing bacteria.
Antiviral: A substance that inhibits the growth of a virus.
Aromatherapy: The therapeutic use of essential oils through scent.
Aromatics: Plants that produce high amounts of essential oil and have strong fragrances.
Arthritis: The inflammation of one or more joints accompanied by pain and stiffness.
Asthma: A chronic lung disease that inflames and narrows the respiratory airways.
Astringent: A substance that dries and contracts organic tissue.
Ayurvedic medicine: A system of healing and health maintenance that originated in India more than three thousand years ago.
Balm: A preparation with a very firm consistency that forms a protective layer on the skin.
Biennial: A plant that completes its life cycle in two or sometimes three years or growing seasons.
Bouquets garnis: A classic culinary combination of bay, parsley, and thyme.
Bulb: The fleshy, underground part of a plant that stores nutrients.
Carrier oil: A fatty plant extraction used for cooking and to dilute essential oils. It is also called a base or a fixed oil.
Catarrh: The inflammation of mucous membranes along with an excessive buildup of mucus in the nose or throat.
Chilblains: The painful inflammation of small blood vessels in the skin when exposed to cold and high humidity.
Chinese medicine: Also called Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), it is a system of healing and health that originated in China several thousand years ago. Many of the remedies are based on herbs.
Chronic: A persistent condition or disease that is long-term.
Cold pressed: A mechanical method for obtaining oil from plant material by pressing it. This is also called expression and expeller pressed.
Colitis: The inflammation of the colon.
Companion planting: The practice of combining mutually beneficial plants within a garden.
Cream: A healing and soothing preparation that is mostly absorbed into the skin.
Crohn’s disease: A chronic inflammatory disease of the intestines.
Crown: The upper, above ground part of a root system of a perennial plant.
Cultivar: A variety of plant that is developed and cultivated by humans instead of by natural selection in the wild.
Cutting: A piece of stem, root, or leaf used to propagate a plant.
Decoction: An extraction of medicinal substances made by boiling down the tougher or more fibrous parts of plants such as roots, bark, and seeds.
Dermatitis: A general term that describes the inflammation of the skin when it becomes red, swollen, and sore.
Diuretic: A substance that increases the quantity and flow of urine.
Distillation: A method for extracting essential oil from plant material that uses steam or hot water to separate the water-soluble and non-water-soluble parts of plants.
Eczema: An inflammatory condition that causes areas of the skin to become red, rough, and itchy.
Edema: A painless swelling caused by fluid retention under the skin.
Essential oil: The concentrated, non-water-soluble extraction from plants obtained by distillation or cold pressing. It is also called a volatile oil because it evaporates quickly.
Expectorant: A substance that loosens phlegm and helps to clear the respiratory airways.
Fibromyalgia: A disorder with widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, sleep, memory, and mood issues.
Fines herbes: A classic culinary combination of chervil, chives, parsley, and tarragon.
Flower essence: An infusion of flowers in water, which is then mixed with brandy. It should not be confused with a tincture or essential oil.
Fungal infection: A common infection of the skin caused by a fungus that includes athlete’s foot, jock itch, ringworm, and yeast infections.
Gastritis: A condition in which the lining of the stomach is inflamed and irritated.
Gastroenteritis: A condition in which the lining of the stomach and intestines are inflamed and irritated.
Gingivitis: The inflammation of gum tissue.
Gout: A type of arthritis that occurs when uric acid builds up and causes joint inflammation.
Hardening off: The process of conditioning a plant from a protected environment to an outside location.
Hardiness zone: A geographical area defined by its average minimum temperature that is used to determine which plants can be grown there. It is sometimes simply called a zone.
Hemorrhoids: A condition caused by dilated rectal veins. They are also known as piles.
Herbes de Provence: A classic culinary combination of bay, fennel, rosemary, and thyme.
Humus: A form of organic matter that has been broken down to its most basic level.
Hydrosol: Traditionally called floral waters (i.e., rosewater), a hydrosol contains the water-soluble molecules of aromatic plants. It is also called a hydroflorate and hydrolat.
Infusion: An extraction of medicinal substances made by steeping the aerial parts of plants in hot water, or hot or cold oil.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): A disorder that affects the large intestine.
Knot garden: A type of formal garden that is laid out in an intricate, interlacing design.
Liniment: An extraction of medicinal substances from plants made by steeping them in alcohol or witch hazel. It is for external use and should not be confused with a tincture.
Lipophilic: A substance that is not water soluble. It readily combines with or dissolves in lipids or fats. Essential oils are lipophilic.
Loam: Soil that has a balance of sand, silt, and clay.
Lobed: The description of a leaf with deeply indented edges, such as oak or maple tree leaves.
Maceration: An extraction of medicinal substances from plants made by steeping them in cold water.
Mastitis: An infection of breast tissue accompanied by pain, swelling, and redness.
Menorrhagia: A menstrual period with abnormally heavy or prolonged bleeding.
Ointment: A preparation with a slightly firm consistency that forms a protective layer on the skin.
Perennial: A plant that lives for a number of years. The parts above ground often die back in the autumn and come up again in the spring.
Photosensitivity: Heightened sensitivity to sunlight.
Pinnate: The description of a leaf that has three or more leaflets on a common stem.
Poultice: A thick, moist paste of plant material that is applied to an affected area of the body.
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS): A term that refers to a wide variety of symptoms that may include mood swings, tender breasts, food cravings, fatigue, irritability, and depression.
Psoriasis: A skin condition that causes itchy or sore patches of thick, red skin accompanied by silvery scales.
Pyorrhea: The inflammation of the sockets of the teeth. It is also known as periodontitis.
Raised bed: A type of garden above the surface of the ground that is contained within a frame.
Raynaud’s disease: A disorder of the small blood vessels, usually in the fingers and toes, that causes these areas to feel numb and cool in response to cold temperatures or stress.
Rheumatism: A condition characterized by stiffness and pain in muscles or fibrous tissue, and swelling and pain in the joints.
Rheumatoid arthritis: A type of autoimmune arthritis that causes pain, stiffness, swelling, and limited motion in many joints.
Rhizome: An underground stem that stores nutrients for a plant. It is usually considered as a type of root.
Ringworm: A type of skin infection caused by a fungus.
Salve: A preparation with a semi-firm consistency that forms a protective layer on the skin.
Scabies: A contagious and very itchy skin infection caused by the Sarcoptes scabiei mite.
Sciatica: Pain or numbness that runs from the lower back down the leg(s) along the sciatic nerve pathway.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD): A type of depression that occurs during the same season each year. It most often occurs in winter.
Simples: Preparations that require only one herb rather than a combination of plants.
Sinusitis: The inflammation of the sinuses.
Sitz bath: A method of bathing in which a person sits in shallow water up to the hips. It is also known as a hip bath.
Spike: A long, flower-bearing stem without branches.
Sprain: A stretch and/or tear of a ligament.
Staph infection: An infection caused by the Staphylococcus bacteria.
Strain: A stretch and/or tear of a muscle.
Strep throat: A sore throat accompanied by fever that is caused by the Streptococcus bacteria.
Sty: An inflamed oil gland on the edge of the eyelid.
Sun tea: A method of making tea by placing herbs in cold water and then setting the container in the sun to brew. It is also known as a solar infusion.
Taproot: The large, main part of a root.
Temporomandibular joint pain (TMJ): A pain that occurs in or near the jaw joint, which is caused by a range of problems.
Tincture: An extraction of medicinal substances from plants made by steeping them in alcohol, vinegar, or cider.
Tisane: A mild infusion often called a tea. Technically, tea is made only from the Camellia sinensis plant.
Tonic: An herbal mixture that strengthens and supports a specific system or the entire body.
Toothed: The description of a leaf with jagged edges.
Umbel: The description of a common flower cluster structure with multiple stems radiating from a central stem. Although it can be round like a globe, it most often has the basic shape of an umbrella.
Vaginitis: A medical term used to describe various conditions that cause infection or inflammation of the vagina. It is frequently caused by a fungal infection and called a vaginal yeast infection.
Varicose veins: The name given to enlarged, twisted blood vessels that appear blue and bulging through the skin.
Volatile oil: Another name for essential oil.
Water soluble: A substance that can be dissolved in water.
Yeast infection: A type of fungal infection caused by the overgrowth of yeast.