herb

noun, often attributive \ ˈərb , US also and British usually ˈhərb \

|Updated on: 16 Aug 2018

Definition of herb

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 2

—

herblike

play \ˈ(h)ərb-ˌlīk\ adjective

—

herby

play \ˈ(h)ər-bē\ adjective

See herb defined for English-language learners

See herb defined for kids

Examples of herb in a Sentence

a dish seasoned with chopped fresh herbs
rosemary, sage, and other herbs

Recent Examples of herb from the Web

Also expect to see risotto with fresh herbs and tomato; shepherd's salad; and meatballs, served on a fork with spaghetti and red sauce.

— carol deptolla, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Italian food, wine and opera event planned at the Milwaukee Public Market," 13 July 2018
Each goal brings groans and cheers at tables piled with plates of feta and cucumbers sprinkled with herbs.

— maggie hoffman, SFChronicle.com, "Finding love at Orson’s Belly in the Richmond," 12 July 2018
Sprinkle with salt and pepper and herbs such as chives, parsley and rosemary.

— heloise, Houston Chronicle, "A yearning for Bootlegger Beans," 10 July 2018
Flavor the dough with fresh herbs, spices or cheese; top them with sesame, poppy, sunflower or other seeds, or maybe old-fashioned oats or nuts.

— noelle carter, charlotteobserver, "Grilling burgers this summer? Up your game with these homemade bun recipes," 6 July 2018
Grind pepper over the chops and sprinkle generously with the gremolata. Garnish with extra herbs.

— sally pasley vargas, BostonGlobe.com, "Recipe: Lamb loin chops come off the grill rosy and juicy, ready for a gremolata garnish," 3 July 2018
Garnish with a dollop of mayonnaise, or sprinkle with herbs.

— jeanmarie brownson, chicagotribune.com, "Pack up a picnic of Spanish tapas to feed a crowd," 3 July 2018
Fraser advises a quick toss in lemon, olive oil, salt, and pepper, while Cohen recommends experimenting with herbs.

— christina pérez, Vogue, "Vegetarian Grilling Ideas Sure To Impress Even The Judge-iest BBQ Guests," 3 July 2018
Sprinkle salad with herbs and season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

— susan selasky, ajc, "5 recipes to cool things down on hot days," 3 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'herb.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of herb

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

Other Drug/Tobacco Terms

controlled, flake, key, sodden

HERB Defined for English Language Learners

herb

noun

Definition of herb for English Language Learners

: a plant or a part of a plant that is used as medicine or to give flavor to food

HERB Defined for Kids

herb

noun \ ˈərb , ˈhərb \

Definition of herb for Students

1 : a plant with soft stems that die down at the end of the growing season

2 : a plant or plant part used in medicine or in seasoning foods

Medical Dictionary

herb

noun, often attributive \ ˈ(h)ərb \

medical Definition of herb

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

Learn More about herb

See words that rhyme with herb Spanish Central: Translation of herb Nglish: Translation of herb for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of herb for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about herb

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herb

Definition of herb

herblike

herby

Examples of herb in a Sentence

Recent Examples of herb from the Web

Origin and Etymology of herb

Other Drug/Tobacco Terms

HERB Defined for English Language Learners

herb

Definition of herb for English Language Learners

HERB Defined for Kids

herb

Definition of herb for Students

Medical Dictionary

herb

medical Definition of herb

Learn More about herb

Seen and Heard

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