herb

noun

ˈərb 

US also and British usually

ˈhərb 

often attributive

1

botany : a seed-producing annual, biennial, or perennial that does not develop persistent woody tissue but dies down at the end of a growing season

2

: a plant or plant part valued for its medicinal, savory, or aromatic qualities

planted parsley, basil, and rosemary in her herb garden

3

slang : marijuana sense 2

herblike

ˈ(h)ərb-ˌlīk 

adjective

herby

ˈ(h)ər-bē 

adjective

Examples of herb in a Sentence

a dish seasoned with chopped fresh herbs

rosemary, sage, and other herbs

Recent Examples on the Web

From a sweet yogurt bowl with cinnamon and berries to a savory dip with garlic and herbs. —Mira Miller, Verywell Health, 9 Jan. 2026

This is also an easy way to create an herb garden in a kitchen window. —Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 9 Jan. 2026

Food can be made more flavorful with salt-free seasonings, herbs and spices. —Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 8 Jan. 2026

Perennial herbs, in particular, germinate slowly and take a while to grow into seedlings that are big enough to transplant into the garden. —Sheryl Geerts, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English herbe, from Anglo-French, from Latin herba

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing herb

• herb doctor
• herb Robert
• willow herb

Rhymes for herb

• blurb
• curb
• erb
• kerb
• serb
• verb
• disturb
• perturb
• reverb
• superb

Kids Definition

herb

noun

ˈərb 

also

ˈhərb 

1

: a seed-producing plant that does not develop long-lived woody tissue but dies down at the end of a growing season

2

: a plant or plant part used for making medicine and seasonings

Medical Definition

herb

noun

ˈ(h)ərb 

often attributive

1

: a seed plant that does not develop persistent woody tissue but dies down at the end of a growing season

2

: a plant or plant part valued for its medicinal, savory, or aromatic qualities