Standard Lemma guide

moxa

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