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.
Tasting notes: Fresh, crisp, with citrus and dried herb flavors on the mid palate, and a clean, elegant finish.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 3, 2026
You can get fancy with your butters by making a garlic herb butter or a whipped honey butter to brush the insides and tops of your rolls.
From Salon • Jun. 28, 2026
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
The herb has been used for more than 1,000 years and has traditionally been associated with "blacken hair and nourish essence."
From Science Daily • Jun. 7, 2026
I think about the new little herb garden I’ve started on the windowsill at Babs’s, thanks to her.
From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy
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.
