rosemary

noun

rose·​mary ˈrōz-ˌmer-ē 

plural rosemaries

: a fragrant shrubby Mediterranean mint (Salvia rosmarinus synonym Rosmarinus officinalis) having grayish-green needlelike leaves used as a seasoning

also : the leaves of rosemary

Examples of rosemary in a Sentence

The recipe calls for a tablespoon of rosemary.

Recent Examples on the Web

Far below, waves lashed Punta Chiappa, a rugged promontory that stretches from the base of Monte di Portofino into the sea. From San Rocco, the trail meandered past a cluster of tidy houses, their gardens fragrant with rosemary and citrus, before plunging into the forest. —Gina Decaprio Vercesi, Travel + Leisure, 13 Mar. 2025

Garnish them with a slice of citrus to bring out the citric notes or a sprig of rosemary to bring out the more herbaceous notes. —Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025

Homemade pickles, last season’s peach jam, raw apple cider vinegar, natural wine, a sprig of rosemary, and backyard barbecue brisket are all, scientifically speaking, packed full of preservatives. —Ali Bouzari, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025

Flip your glass upside down on top of the rosemary to capture the smoke. —Boutayna Chokrane, Vogue, 29 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English rosemarye, rosemary, folk-etymological alteration of rosmaryn, rosmarine, borrowed from Anglo-French rosemaryn, borrowed from Latin rōsmarīnum, rōs marīnus, literally "sea dew," from rōr-, rōs "dew" + marīnus "of the sea, marine entry 1"; rōr-, rōs going back to Indo-European *h₁rōs-, *h₁ros- "dew, juice" (whence also Old Church Slavic rosa "dew," Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian ròsa, accusative rȍsu, Lithuanian rasà, Sanskrit rásaḥ "juice, liquid"), probably derivative from the verbal base *h₁ers- "stream, flow," whence Sanskrit árṣati "(it) flows," Hittite ārašzi, aršanzi

Note: The element rōs in the Latin compound may represent Greek rhoûs "sumac," conformed to rōr-, rōs "dew" by folk etymology.

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for rosemary

• accessary
• adversary
• ancillary
• arbitrary
• aviary
• axillary
• beriberi
• breviary
• budgetary
• capillary
• catenary
• cautionary

Kids Definition

rosemary

noun

rose·​mary ˈrōz-ˌmer-ē 

: a fragrant shrubby mint with grayish green needlelike leaves used as a seasoning

also : the leaves of rosemary

Etymology

an altered form of Middle English rosmarine "rosemary," from Latin rosmarinus, literally, "dew of the sea," from ros "dew" and marinus "of the sea"

Medical Definition

rosemary

noun

rose·​mary ˈrōz-ˌmer-ē 

plural rosemaries

: a fragrant shrubby mint (Salvia rosmarinus synonym Rosmarinus officinalis) of southern Europe and Asia Minor that is the source of rosemary oil and was formerly used medicinally as a stimulant and carminative