Jump to:

• herb
  herb

  noun

  a flowering plant whose stem above ground does not become woody.
• Herb
  Herb

  noun

  a male given name, form of Herbert.

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.

---

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.

---

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

---

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.

---

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

Rather than simply delaying further loss, the herb appears to encourage regrowth by influencing multiple growth factors and signaling pathways involved in the hair cycle.

From Science Daily • Feb. 9, 2026

There’s a candy dish in the lobby, which is awash in hues of cream and white, offering visitors gummies infused with passion fruit and the calming herb ashwagandha.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 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

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

He told Odysseus he knew a herb which could save him from Circe’s deadly art.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton

Related Words

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