noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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UK:/ˈmɒksə/
US:/ˈmɑksə/
rhymes with -ɒksə
1
noun
Meaning 1
A woolly material obtained from the dried leaves of an Asian species of mugwort, such as Artemisia argyi, as used in moxibustion.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Any other substance used in moxibustion.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From Japanese 艾 (mogusa, “mugwort”). The u is not strongly pronounced in Japanese, leading to its disappearance and the devoicing of the plosive. First used by Hermann Buschoff, a Dutch minister in Batavia, who wrote the first book about this remedy in 1674.
Across languages
Translations
9 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Chinese Mandarin:
艾絨 /艾绒
(àiróng)
— woolly material obtained from mugwort leaves
Chinese Mandarin:
艾
(ài)
— woolly material obtained from mugwort leaves
Finnish:
pujon juuri
— woolly material obtained from mugwort leaves
French:
moxa
— woolly material obtained from mugwort leaves
Japanese:
艾
(mogusa)
— woolly material obtained from mugwort leaves
Korean:
쑥
(ssuk)
— woolly material obtained from mugwort leaves
Polish:
suszony liść bylicy
— woolly material obtained from mugwort leaves
Portuguese:
moxa
— woolly material obtained from mugwort leaves
Russian:
кита́йская полы́нь
(kitájskaja polýnʹ)
— woolly material obtained from mugwort leaves