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
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-
any of various usually aromatic plants, such as parsley, rue, and rosemary, that are used in cookery and medicine
-
( as modifier )
a herb garden
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-
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:
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
The review suggests that the herb may do more than slow hair loss.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 7, 2026
The herb garden remains unplanted, and Lindsay’s vague plans for a “bespoke” B&B are on permanent hold, as are Josh’s musical aspirations.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 16, 2026
They had tumbled into their own symmetry, and it was certainly true that too even a distribution between the irises and the rosebay willow herb ruined the effect.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
Later on, Cohen volunteered to stage a presidential press conference and played “Reunited” by Peaches & Herb.
From Salon ● Aug. 21, 2026
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 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
At a physics department reception on New Year’s Day, he pulled Herb York aside.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
Agricultural produce commonly exported includes mangoes, avocados, herbs and grapes.
From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026
Some brands opt to skip fermentation, which naturally produces alcohol, and instead mix ingredients such as herbs and spices in hot water before distilling the mixture.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
Roll it out cinnamon-roll style, spread with cream cheese, Parmesan, herbs and hot giardiniera, then coil, slice and nestle the spirals together in a buttered skillet.
From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026
Change the herbs accordingly: chives and parsley are excellent with giardiniera, while Mexican-style pickled carrots practically beg for cilantro and oregano.
From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026
The house smelled like loamy earth and sharp, pungent herbs.
From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack
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.
