herb

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

Examples of herb in a Sentence

a dish seasoned with chopped fresh herbs

rosemary, sage, and other herbs

Recent Examples on the Web

This herb may have some potential uses for menopause, bone health, and high cholesterol. —Beth Thomas, Verywell Health, 7 June 2024

Annuals might come back too Some annual herbs tend to return, too. —Jessica Damiano, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 June 2024

Centella asiatica, also known as gotu kola, is an herb native to parts of Southeast Asia. —Lisa Desantis, Health, 1 June 2024

Through his Facebook page, Mr. Rahman encourages other residents and visitors to volunteer to help plant 50-60 varieties of plants and herbs along the kilometre-long Gulshan-2 lakeside. —Muhammad Tahmid Zami and Mosabber Hossain, The Christian Science Monitor, 29 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing herb

• herb doctor
• herb Robert
• willow herb

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