herbaceous

adjective

her·​ba·​ceous ˌ(h)ər-ˈbā-shəs 

1

a

: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of an herb

b

of a stem : having little or no woody tissue and persisting usually for a single growing season

2

: having the texture, color, or appearance of a leaf

Examples of herbaceous in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The filling adds herbaceous notes, and the garlic-butter flavor really absorbs into every bite of the bread. —Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 20 Dec. 2025

After a few chews, however, the flavor becomes bitter, my guess is because the herbaceous green tea extract was competing with the fruit. —Abbey Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 19 Dec. 2025

Iris Root yields a powdery, herbaceous, and creamy scent that’s absolutely lovely. —Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 19 Dec. 2025

Nobody is kicking the zesty Loewe tomato-leaves candle ($130) or the herbaceous Trudon Abd El Kader candle ($135) or the earthy Tatine forest-floor candle ($45) or the sensuous Diptyque Narguilé candle ($78) out of bed. —Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 10 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1640, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing herbaceous

• herbaceous border

Rhymes for herbaceous

• arenaceous
• argillaceous
• carbonaceous
• contumacious
• coriaceous
• efficacious
• farinaceous
• foliaceous
• membranaceous
• ochraceous
• olivaceous
• ostentatious

Kids Definition

herbaceous

adjective

her·​ba·​ceous ˌ(h)ər-ˈbā-shəs 

1

: of, relating to, or resembling an herb

2

: being a stem with little or no woody tissue and lasting usually only for a single growing season