herb
noun
a flowering plant whose stem above ground does not become woody.
herb
1 American
[urb, hurb]
/ ɜrb, hɜrb /
Herb
2
American
[hurb]
/ hɜrb /
noun
herb
British
/ ɜːrb, hɜːb /
noun
-
a seed-bearing plant whose aerial parts do not persist above ground at the end of the growing season; herbaceous plant
-
-
any of various usually aromatic plants, such as parsley, rue, and rosemary, that are used in cookery and medicine
-
( as modifier )
a herb garden
-
-
a slang term for marijuana
herb
Scientific
/ ûrb /
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of herb
1250–1300; Middle English herbe < Old French erbe, herbe < Latin herba
Explanation
What do food, medicine, and perfume have in common? Well, they all can be created from herbs. An herb is a plant that has a soft rather than a woody stem, and it tends to have a unique taste or smell. There are many kinds of plants, but one that you've likely seen mentioned on a menu or ad for a medical treatment is the herb. Herbs are distinguished from other plants by their stem, which does not become permanent and woody; instead, it stays soft. Many herbs are used in cooking, such as basil and thyme, because they add flavor to foods. Many herbs, like ginseng and chamomile, are used in tea and are believed to be good for your health.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Lev Sercarz is fond of adding fenugreek, a fiber-rich herb, to hot or cold water to make a particularly bold-tasting infusion.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026
You can get fancy with your butters by making a garlic herb butter or a whipped honey butter to brush the insides and tops of your rolls.
From Salon ● Jun. 28, 2026
They are home to rare and threatened species, such as the bluebell, the herb Paris, the barbastelle bat and the red-listed and locally declining marsh tit.
From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2026
The review suggests that the herb may do more than slow hair loss.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 7, 2026
We worked frantically drawing water, washing the burning bodies, and trying every herb, tea, and poultice to break the fever and banish the infection.
From "Fever 1793" by Laurie Halse Anderson
Herb Alpert walks up a long driveway at his rambling Malibu estate, wincing slightly after having woken up around 3 a.m. with a cramp in his left calf.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2026
As for “The Way of the World,” writer Herb Powell says lovingly, “I can listen to it and just feel my heart chakra just open up.”
From Salon ● Jun. 7, 2026
As the late economist Herb Stein famously observed, if something can’t go on forever, it will stop.
From Barron's ● Apr. 10, 2026
We’re reminded of the late economist Herb Stein’s quip that if something can’t continue, it won’t.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 9, 2026
The guest speaker was Herb Sandler, the CEO of a giant savings and loan called Golden West Financial Corporation.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
Add one tablespoon of herbs to about 8 to 12 ounces of hot water.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
Here’s how to make your fresh herbs shine in any dish.
From Slate ● Aug. 6, 2026
A small bundle of herbs can sharpen a bowl of rice and beans.
From Salon ● Aug. 4, 2026
Cyclospora is a parasite that contaminates leafy greens, berries and herbs.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 3, 2026
Violet and Eulie Rowan, carrying their baskets of herbs, paused to wave to me.
From "The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs" by Betty G. Birney
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
