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
1250–1300; Middle English herbe < Old French erbe, herbe < Latin herba
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.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Tasting notes: Fresh, crisp, with citrus and dried herb flavors on the mid palate, and a clean, elegant finish.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 3, 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
A good starting formula is one aromatic, one fresh herb and one dried herb or spice.
From Salon ● Jun. 16, 2026
Small plates with buckwheat brioche and whipped herb butter.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 2, 2026
“That the one. That’s my son. Toomer, the flower boy. For eighteen years he be right there in that alley makin’ a nice livin’ from his flower, his herb, and his honey.
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
Can we do a little Herb Alpert trivia to finish?
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
As the late economist and presidential adviser Herb Stein famously said, “If something cannot go on forever, it will stop.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 24, 2026
Not even Herb Gale, his own roommate, ever called him "Bob" or even "Ack."
From "The Catcher in the Rye" by J. D. Salinger
Pans heave with labor-intensive dishes like çalkama, a Turkish pastry, and yaprak sarma, grapevine leaves filled by hand with a mixture of rice, onions, tomatoes and herbs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 11, 2026
All those soft herbs bring freshness without sacrificing the comfort factor, making the dressing feel as creamy as ever but far less one-note.
From Salon ● Jul. 7, 2026
Tasting notes: Vivid and medium-bodied, with dense bubbles and a long, rich finish of delicate herbs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 3, 2026
The unnamed condiment originally mixed herbs and spices with buttermilk and mayonnaise and its popularity with guests led to it being jarred so they could take some home.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2026
“But my good rats, surely you must realize that I can do nothing without my stock of herbs? Now please let me pass.”
From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques
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.
