bay leaf

noun

: the dried leaf of the European laurel (Laurus nobilis) used in cooking

Examples of bay leaf in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Add onions, bay leaf, salt, and 1/2 cup of the broth; cover, and cook, undisturbed, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 6 Mar. 2026 What does bay leaf do to your body? Hannah Yasharoff, USA Today, 21 Feb. 2026 Remove the bay leaf and transfer to a blender. Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 14 Feb. 2026 Discard the cheese rind and the bay leaf. Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 27 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bay leaf

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bay leaf was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Bay leaf.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bay%20leaf. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.

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