chive

noun

ˈchīv 

: a perennial plant (Allium schoenoprasum) related to the onion and having slender leaves used as a seasoning

also : its leaves

—usually used in plural compare garlic chive

Examples of chive in a Sentence

Do you want chives on your baked potato?

Recent Examples on the Web

Top it off with one ounce of plain, low-fat Greek yogurt ( about three grams of protein, 21 calories) and a sprinkling of chives. —Lauren O'Connor, Health, 11 June 2025

Herbs: Anise, basil, bay laurel, chives, dill, ginger, marjoram, mint, oregano, sage and thyme. —Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 May 2025

Julia snuck some matchstick carrots into the potato mixture, then blew my socks off with a punchy, springy topping of feta, mint, dill, and chives. —Josh Miller, Southern Living, 23 May 2025

Columbines, beets, basil, alliums (onion, garlic, leeks, chives, etc.), sweetbay magnolia, American holly, and boxwood are all commonly grown examples of plants that have their own leafminer species. —Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 8 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin cepa onion

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing chive

• Chinese chive
• garlic chive

Rhymes for chive

• dive
• drive
• five
• hive
• jive
• live
• strive
• thrive
• alive
• archive
• arrive
• beehive

Kids Definition

chive

noun

ˈchīv 

: an herb related to the onion and having leaves used as a seasoning