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

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

In the kitchen, Kai rolls out dough for buckwheat brioche bread paired with herb butter.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 2, 2026

AGZ contains the herb ashwagandha along with magnesium, the spice saffron and more than a dozen other ingredients.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 29, 2025

Although classified botanically as a vegetable, garlic is commonly used as both an herb and a spice.

From Science Daily • Dec. 8, 2025

So, Meghan began experimenting with the herb, “drying all the different varieties she was growing,” and using it to infuse everything from oils to honey.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 4, 2025

The case that nearly killed Elizebeth started in a small Chinese herb shop in Vancouver, Canada.

From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield

Related Words

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