rosemary

[ rohz-mair-ee, -muh-ree ]

noun,plural rose·mar·ies.
  1. an evergreen shrub, Rosmarinus officinalis, of the mint family, native to the Mediterranean region, having leathery, narrow leaves and pale-blue, bell-shaped flowers, used as a seasoning and in perfumery and medicine: a traditional symbol of remembrance.

Origin of rosemary

1
First recorded in1400–50; late Middle English rose mary (by folk etymology, influenced by rose1 and the name Mary), from Latin rōs “dew” + marīnus “marine,” or rōs maris “dew of the sea” (in English the final -s mistaken for plural sign)

Words Nearby rosemary

Other definitions for Rosemary (2 of 2)

Rosemary
[ rohz-mair-ee, -muh-ree ]

noun
  1. a female given name.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use rosemary in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for rosemary

rosemary

/ (ˈrəʊzmərɪ) /


nounplural -maries
  1. an aromatic European shrub, Rosmarinus officinalis, widely cultivated for its grey-green evergreen leaves, which are used in cookery for flavouring and yield a fragrant oil used in the manufacture of perfumes: family Lamiaceae (labiates). It is the traditional flower of remembrance

Origin of rosemary

1
C15: earlier rosmarine, from Latin rōs dew + marīnus marine; modern form influenced by folk etymology, as if rose 1 + Mary

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