herbaceous
Americanadjective
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of, relating to, or characteristic of an herb; herblike.
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(of plants or plant parts)
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not woody.
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having the texture, color, etc., of an ordinary foliage leaf.
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adjective
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designating or relating to plants or plant parts that are fleshy as opposed to woody
a herbaceous plant
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(of petals and sepals) green and leaflike
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of or relating to herbs
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of herbaceous
1640–50; < Latin herbāceus grassy, like grass, equivalent to herb ( a ) grass, herbs + -āceus -aceous
Vocabulary lists containing herbaceous
Plants (Botany) - Middle School
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Plants (Botany) - High School
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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.
Some are shifting to Mediterranean plants, Bennellick said, "more grasses, more herbaceous perennials that can survive the drought conditions".
From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026
It’s salty, creamy, herbaceous and just a little briny, the exact qualities that make a dirty martini so appealing in the first place.
From Salon ● Jul. 7, 2026
Albariño wine pairs well with cheeses, fish tacos, herbaceous salads—and, as Hemingway did, you can also drink it to wash away the faint metallic taste of oysters.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 6, 2026
“When it comes to our founder’s favorites, the delicate, herbaceous flavor of sage ranks high on the list,” the As Ever email read.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 4, 2025
The herbaceous smell of cut grass mingled with lilac.
From "The Serpent King" by Jeff Zentner
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.
