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

In the herb garden beside her home on Colorado Avenue, Cathi Murray digs through the soil and pulls out two glittering black rocks. —Christiana Freitag, Chicago Tribune, 13 June 2026

Mint Another herb that can serve double duty as an excellent pest repellent is mint. —Cori Sears, The Spruce, 13 June 2026

Some flowers and scented herbs can be used as companion plants to naturally repel aphids, while others function as trap crops by luring aphids away from milkweed. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 June 2026

Reach for natural scent sources like a simmer pot with citrus peel and herbs, fresh greenery or a few drops of essential oil in a diffuser. —Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 June 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