Definition of the word absinthe

The origins of the word "absinthe" can be traced back to the 18th century in Switzerland, where a doctor named Pierre Ordinaire created a potentdigestive tonic using a mixture of wormwood, anise, and fennel. He called it "The Green Fairy" ("La Fée Verte" in French) due to its bright green color and supposed magical abilities to heal various ailments. Over the years, absinthe became popular among artists and intellectuals in France, notably Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Paul Verlaine, and Oscar Wilde. It was known for its strong anise flavor and floral aroma, and became a symbol of Bohemian culture. However, absinthe was commonly thought to have psychoactive effects and was linked to criminal behavior and insanity, notably a Swiss worker who murdered his family while apparently under its influence. In 1915, absinthe was banned in France due to misinformation and hysteria, and remained outlawed in many countries until the 1990s, when it was legalized again. The term "absinthe" comes from the French diminutive suffix "-the", which is added to "absint", meaning "wormwood" in Latin. So, "absinthe" translates to "wormwood distillate", an apt description given its main ingredient.