herb

¹ American  

[urb, hurb] / ɜrb, hɜrb /

noun

1. a flowering plant whose stem above ground does not become woody.

2. such a plant when valued for its medicinal properties, flavor, scent, or the like.

3. Slang. Often the herb. marijuana.

4. Archaic. herbage.

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idioms

1. give it the herbs, to use full power, especially in accelerating a car.

Herb ² American  

[hurb] / hɜrb /

noun

1. a male given name, form of Herbert.

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herb British  

/ ɜːrb, hɜːb /

noun

1. a seed-bearing plant whose aerial parts do not persist above ground at the end of the growing season; herbaceous plant

2. 1. any of various usually aromatic plants, such as parsley, rue, and rosemary, that are used in cookery and medicine

   2. ( as modifier )

      a herb garden

3. a slang term for marijuana

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herb Scientific  

/ ûrb /

1. A flowering plant whose stem does not produce woody tissue and generally dies back at the end of each growing season. Both grasses and forbs are herbs.

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Other Word Forms

• herbless adjective
• herblike adjective

Etymology

Origin of herb

1250–1300; Middle English herbe < Old French erbe, herbe < Latin herba

Example Sentences

She still tells me to help myself to her herbs and berries any time I want.

From Literature

Brothy things Soups that feel restorative rather than heavy: miso, chicken broth, vegetable soups with plenty of herbs and lemon.

From Salon

They mowed it, raked it and planted herbs and wildflowers, a London tribunal heard.

From BBC

I was reminded of that one morning last month, when I walked to the bakery one block from home to pick up sourdough bread, then strolled to the family-run grocery for fresh herbs.

From The Wall Street Journal

Anna swung the kettle over the fire, and when the water bubbled up she threw in a handful of dried herbs.

From Literature

Related Words

• flower
• grass
• seedling
• shrub
• tree
• vine
• weed