herb

1 of 2

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

herby

2 of 2

adjective

ˈ(h)ərbē 

-er/-est

1

: abounding in herbaceous vegetation

2

: relating to, resembling, or tasting like an herb

a rich herby flavor

Examples of herb in a Sentence

Noun

a dish seasoned with chopped fresh herbs

rosemary, sage, and other herbs

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The last was paired with lamb that had been roasted in a cast-iron pot with smoldering herbs and hay. — Adam Erace, Travel + Leisure, 2 July 2026

This vibrant margarita is a vessel for spring herbs like lemon balm, anise hyssop, mint, and lemon verbena. — Ginger Crichton, Midwest Living, 2 July 2026

Simply planting these herbs in your yard or keeping them in a pot on your patio hasn't been proven to effectively keep mosquitoes away. — Alexandra Jones, The Spruce, 5 July 2026

For example, Indigenous people shared their knowledge of making tea from local plants and herbs with colonists. — Teresa Mull, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

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

Adjective

herb + y

First Known Use

Noun

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