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.
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
She faces Republican Herb Morgan, a onetime chief investment officer at financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald, and Meghann Adams, a Peace and Freedom Party member, who is a school bus driver and union leader.
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 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
This defenseman, whose given name was John Francis Hughes, was among the final cuts made by Coach Herb Brooks to the 1980 U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026
“You could hear the sound of the neutron counter, clickety-clack, clickety-clack,” said Herb Anderson.
From "Bomb" by Steve Sheinkin
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.
