bay leaf
Americannoun
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the dried leaf of the bay laurel, Laurus nobilis, used in cooking.
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the leaf of the bayberry, Pimenta racemosa, used in making bay oil and bay rum.
noun
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.
Generous hunks of vanilla bean dot her lemon marmalade; bay leaf infuses her blackberry jam.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 10, 2025
If you'd really like to see just what a bay leaf actually tastes like and contributes to a dish, try steeping it in water.
From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2023
Don't disparage the bay leaf if you're using expired, brittle, flavorless bay leaves; try a fresh one and you'll immediately recognize its subtle power.
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
I learned it was a mixture of com, turnips and rice, seasoned with thyme, bay leaf and green peppers.
From "Black Like Me" by John Howard Griffin
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.
