bay leaf

American

[bay leef] / ˈbeɪ ˌlif /

noun

the dried leaf of the bay laurel, Laurus nobilis, used in cooking.
the leaf of the bayberry, Pimenta racemosa, used in making bay oil and bay rum.

bay leaf British

noun

a leaf, usually dried, of the Mediterranean laurel, Laurus nobilis , used in cooking to flavour soups and stews

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of bay leaf

First recorded in 1630–40

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:

bay leaf

Generous hunks of vanilla bean dot her lemon marmalade; bay leaf infuses her blackberry jam.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 10, 2025

Add combined oyster liquor and chicken broth, bay leaf, and a handful of chopped green parts of green onions, and bring to a low boil.

From Salon ● Nov. 7, 2024

If you're not a bay leaf enthusiast, you may have an old bottle of dried bay leaves in your pantry.

From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2023

Add a big pinch of salt, several black peppercorns, the thyme sprigs and bay leaf.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 28, 2023

She searches in a cupboard for a stainless-steel spice caddy and throws in a bay leaf.

From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023