herb

herb  (ûrb, hûrb)

n.

1. A plant whose stem does not produce woody, persistent tissue and generally dies back at the end of each growing season.

2. Any of various often aromatic plants used especially in medicine or as seasoning.

3. Slang Marijuana.

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[Middle English herbe, from Old French erbe, from Latin herba.]

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herby adj.

Usage Note: The word herb, which can be pronounced with or without the (h), is one of a number of words borrowed into English from French. The (h) sound had been lost in Latin and was not pronounced in French or the other Romance languages, which are descended from Latin, although it was retained in the spelling of some words. In both Old and Middle English, however, h was generally pronounced, as in the native English words happy and hot. Through the influence of spelling, then, the h came to be pronounced in most words borrowed from French, such as haste and hostel. In a few other words borrowed from French the h has remained silent, as in honor, honest, hour, and heir. And in another small group of French loan words, including herb, humble, human, and humor, the h may or may not be pronounced depending on the dialect of English. In British English, herb and its derivatives, such as herbaceous, herbal, herbicide, and herbivore, are pronounced with h. In American English, herb and herbal are more often pronounced without the h, while the opposite is true of herbaceous, herbicide, and herbivore, which are more often pronounced with the h.

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herb [hɜːb (US) ɜːrb]

n

1. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Botany) a seed-bearing plant whose aerial parts do not persist above ground at the end of the growing season; herbaceous plant

2. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Botany)

a.  any of various usually aromatic plants, such as parsley, rue, and rosemary, that are used in cookery and medicine

b.  (as modifier) a herb garden

3. (Law / Recreational Drugs) Caribbean a slang term for marijuana

[from Old French herbe, from Latin herba grass, green plants]

herblike  adj

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herb  (ûrb)

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.

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herbaceous adjective (hûr-bshs, ûr-)

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	herb - a plant lacking a permanent woody stem; many are flowering garden plants or potherbs; some having medicinal properties; some are pests herbaceous plant veg, vegetable, veggie - edible seeds or roots or stems or leaves or bulbs or tubers or nonsweet fruits of any of numerous herbaceous plant barrenwort, bishop's hat, Epimedium grandiflorum - slow-growing creeping plant with semi-evergreen leaves on erect wiry stems; used as ground cover mayapple, Podophyllum peltatum, wild mandrake, May apple - North American herb with poisonous root stock and edible though insipid fruit butter-flower, buttercup, butterflower, crowfoot, goldcup, kingcup - any of various plants of the genus Ranunculus Coptis groenlandica, Coptis trifolia groenlandica, golden thread, goldthread - low-growing perennial of North America woodlands having trifoliate leaves and yellow rootstock and white flowers Eranthis hyemalis, winter aconite - small Old World perennial herb grown for its bright yellow flowers which appear in early spring often before snow is gone hepatica, liverleaf - any of several plants of the genus Hepatica having three-lobed leaves and white or pinkish flowers in early spring; of moist and mossy subalpine woodland areas of north temperate regions golden seal, goldenseal, Hydrastis Canadensis, turmeric root, yellow root - perennial herb of northeastern United States having a thick knotted yellow rootstock and large rounded leaves false rue, false rue anemone, Isopyrum biternatum - slender erect perennial of eastern North America having tuberous roots and pink-tinged white flowers; resembles meadow rue giant buttercup, Laccopetalum giganteum - spectacular perennial native of wet montane grasslands of Peru; formerly included in genus Ranunculus false bugbane, Trautvetteria carolinensis - tall perennial of the eastern United States having large basal leaves and white summer flowers globe flower, globeflower - any of several plants of the genus Trollius having globose yellow flowers legume, leguminous plant - an erect or climbing bean or pea plant of the family Leguminosae clover, trefoil - a plant of the genus Trifolium Cape periwinkle, Catharanthus roseus, cayenne jasmine, Madagascar periwinkle, red periwinkle, rose periwinkle, Vinca rosea, periwinkle, old maid - commonly cultivated Old World woody herb having large pinkish to red flowers aroid, arum - any plant of the family Araceae; have small flowers massed on a spadix surrounded by a large spathe nin-sin, Panax ginseng, Panax pseudoginseng, Panax schinseng, ginseng - Chinese herb with palmately compound leaves and small greenish flowers and forked aromatic roots believed to have medicinal powers American ginseng, Panax quinquefolius, sang - North American woodland herb similar to and used as substitute for the Chinese ginseng wild ginger - low-growing perennial herb with pungent gingery leaves and rhizomes Asarum shuttleworthii, heart-leaf, heartleaf - wild ginger having persistent heart-shaped pungent leaves; West Virginia to Alabama caryophyllaceous plant - a plant of the family Caryophyllaceae clammy chickweed, mouse eared chickweed, mouse-ear chickweed, mouse ear, chickweed - any of various plants related to the common chickweed drypis - spiny-leaved perennial herb of southern Europe having terminal clusters of small flowers coral necklace, Illecebrum verticullatum - glabrous annual with slender taproot and clusters of white flowers; western Europe especially western Mediterranean and Atlantic coastal areas chickweed - any of various plants of the genus Stellaria New Zealand spinach, Tetragonia expansa, Tetragonia tetragonioides - coarse sprawling Australasian plant with red or yellow flowers; cultivated for its edible young shoots and succulent leaves amaranth - any of various plants of the genus Amaranthus having dense plumes of green or red flowers; often cultivated for food
	2.	herb - aromatic potherb used in cookery for its savory qualities flavorer, flavoring, flavourer, flavouring, seasoning, seasoner - something added to food primarily for the savor it imparts fines herbes - a mixture of finely chopped fresh herbs; "an omelet flavored with fines herbes" sweet basil, basil - leaves of the common basil; used fresh or dried bay leaf - dried leaf of the bay laurel borage - an herb whose leaves are used to flavor sauces and punches; young leaves can be eaten in salads or cooked hyssop - bitter leaves used sparingly in salads; dried flowers used in soups and tisanes caraway - leaves used sparingly in soups and stews chervil - fresh ferny parsley-like leaves used as a garnish with chicken and veal and omelets and green salads and spinach chives - cylindrical leaves used fresh as a mild onion-flavored seasoning healing herb, comfrey - leaves make a popular tisane; young leaves used in salads or cooked Chinese parsley, cilantro, coriander - parsley-like herb used as seasoning or garnish costmary - leaves used sparingly (because of bitter overtones) in sauces and soups and stuffings common fennel, fennel - leaves used for seasoning lemon balm - lemony leaves used for a tisane or in soups or fruit punches lovage - stalks eaten like celery or candied like angelica; seeds used for flavoring or pickled like capers marjoram, oregano - pungent leaves used as seasoning with meats and fowl and in stews and soups and omelets mint - the leaves of a mint plant used fresh or candied parsley - aromatic herb with flat or crinkly leaves that are cut finely and used to garnish food rosemary - extremely pungent leaves used fresh or dried as seasoning for especially meats rue - leaves sometimes used for flavoring fruit or claret cup but should be used with great caution: can cause irritation like poison ivy sage - aromatic fresh or dried grey-green leaves used widely as seasoning for meats and fowl and game etc savoury, savory - either of two aromatic herbs of the mint family sweet woodruff, waldmeister - fragrant dark green leaves used to flavor May wine sweet cicely - fresh ferny leaves and green seeds used as garnish in salads and cold vegetables; dried seeds used in confectionery and liqueurs estragon, tarragon - fresh leaves (or leaves preserved in vinegar) used as seasoning thyme - leaves can be used as seasoning for almost any meat and stews and stuffings and vegetables angelica - aromatic stems or leaves or roots of Angelica Archangelica dill weed, dill - aromatic threadlike foliage of the dill plant used as seasoning tea leaf, tea - dried leaves of the tea shrub; used to make tea; "the store shelves held many different kinds of tea"; "they threw the tea into Boston harbor"

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herb

Herbs, spices and seasonings

alligator pepper, allspice, aniseed, asafoetida or asafetida, basil, bayleaf, black pepper, borage, calendula, canella, capers, caraway seed, cardamom, cassia bark, cayenne pepper, chervil, chilli, chive, cinnamon, clove, coconut, coconut milk, coriander, cress, cumin, curry powder, dill, fennel, fines herbes, five spice powder, galangal or galingale, garam masala, garlic, ginger, Kaffir lime leaf, lemon grass, mace, marjoram, mint, miso, mustard, nam pla or fish sauce, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, parsley, peppercorn, poppy seed, red pepper, rocambole, rosemary, saffron, sage, salt, savory, sesame seed, soy sauce, soya sauce, shoyu, or tamari, star anise, sunflower seed, Szechuan, Szechwan, or Sichuan peppercorns, tansy, tarragon, thyme, turmeric, wasabi, white pepper

Translations

herb [hɜːb] (US) [ɜːb]

A. N → hierba f

B. CPD herb garden N → jardín m de hierbas finas
herb tea N → infusión f de hierbas

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herb [ˈhɜː^rb]

n (= plant) → herbe f herbs

npl (COOKERY) → fines herbes fpl
What herbs do you use in this sauce? → Quelles fines herbes utilisez-vous pour cette sauce?

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herb

n → Kraut nt

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herb [hɜːb] n (Med) → erba medicinale herbs npl (Culin) → erbe fpl aromatiche, odori mpl

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herb [hɜːb] n (Med) → erba medicinale herbs npl (Culin) → erbe fpl aromatiche, odori mpl

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herb

n herb [həːb]

a usually small plant used to flavour food or to make medicines herbs and spices. kruid, bossie عُشْب билка bylina, bylinka krydderurt; lægeurt das Kraut βότανο hierba (ravim)taim گياه yrtti herbe (aromatique, médicinale) עֶשֶב-מַרפֵּא/עֶשֶב-תָבלִין जड़ी-बूटी zeljasta biljka; ljekovite trave; zacini (gyógy)fű, (gyógy)növény tumbuh-tumbuhan untuk bumbu dan jamu kryddjurt erba 薬用植物 허브, 양념용 식물 žolelė, vaistažolė (ārstniecības) augs herba kruid krydderurt zioło erva plantă (aromată, medicinală) кухонные, лекарственные травы bylina zelišče lekovita trava ört สมุนไพร şifalı ot (煮菜調味用的)香草；藥草 трава جڑی بوٹی thảo dược 香草；药草

adj herbal

of herbs, especially herbs used to make medicines a herbal remedy. kruie- عُشْبي билков bylinný urte- Kräuter-... που είναι φτιαγμένος από βότανα de hierbas; herbario; herbáceo rohu- گياهی yrtti- d'herbes שֶל עִשבֵּי-מַרפֵּא जड़ी-बूटी संबन्धी biljni füvekből álló dari tumbuhan jurta- d'erbe 薬用植物の 약초의 vaistažolių (ārstniecības) augu-; zāļu-; homeopātisks herba kruidig urte-, krydder- ziołowy de ervas din ier­buri травяной bylinný zeliščen biljni ört- เกี่ยวกับสมุนไพร şifalı otlara ait 草藥的 на основі трав جڑی بوٹی سے بنی دوائیں وغیرہ thuộc thảo dược 草药的

n herbalist

a person who deals in herbs, especially those used to make medicines. kruiekenner, kruiedokter عُشابي، عَقاقيري، مُتعامِل بالأعْشاب билкар bylinkář, -ka naturlæge; forhandler af urter der/die Kräuterkenner(in) βοτανολόγος herbolario ravimtaimekaupmees فروشنده گياهان طبی yrteillä parantaja herboriste חוֹקֶר צְמָחִים וְעָשַבִּים जड़ी-बूटी शास्त्री biljar, travar gyógyfűkereskedő pembuat jamu grasalæknir erborista 薬草商 약초상 žolininkas (ārstniecības) augu pazinējs; homeopāts pakar herba kruidenverzamelaar urtesamler/-lege zielarz ervanário ne­gus­tor de plante medicinale травник bylinkár, -ka zeliščar travar medicinalväxthandlare, -odlare ผู้เชี่ยวชาญด้านสมุนไพร aktar 草藥商 травник جڑی بوٹیوں کا ماہر người trồng, bán thảo dược 草药商