soapwort
noun
soap·wort
ˈsōp-ˌwərt 
-ˌwȯrt
: a European perennial herb (Saponaria officinalis) of the pink family that is widely naturalized in the U.S. and has pink or white flowers and leaves which yield a detergent when bruised
called also bouncing bet
Examples of soapwort in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The addition of soapwort (a naturally occurring herb with an unfortunate-sounding name) adds anti-inflammatory properties and helps to tone and tighten.
—
Tim Chan, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 May 2023
Originally named after their presence in the roots of the soapwort plant (Saponaria), saponins can dissolve in water to create a frothy broth.
—Wired, 14 July 2022
Trim bupleurum, white soapwort, blush Butterfly ranunculus, coral snapdragons, Colibri poppies, and pink ranunculus, varying the stem lengths and stripping off the lower leaves.
—Katie Strasberg Rousso, Southern Living, 26 Apr. 2021
The name derives from the soapwort plant, Saponaria, which contains the Latin root for soap, sapo; this is a fitting name, given the compound’s propensity to foam when shaken in water [3].
—Alice Chi Phung, Discover Magazine, 8 Mar. 2016
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Tim Chan, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 May 2023
Originally named after their presence in the roots of the soapwort plant (Saponaria), saponins can dissolve in water to create a frothy broth.
—Wired, 14 July 2022
Trim bupleurum, white soapwort, blush Butterfly ranunculus, coral snapdragons, Colibri poppies, and pink ranunculus, varying the stem lengths and stripping off the lower leaves.
—Katie Strasberg Rousso, Southern Living, 26 Apr. 2021
The name derives from the soapwort plant, Saponaria, which contains the Latin root for soap, sapo; this is a fitting name, given the compound’s propensity to foam when shaken in water [3].
—Alice Chi Phung, Discover Magazine, 8 Mar. 2016
Cite this Entry
“Soapwort.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soapwort. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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