herb
herb Lexical Profile
herb Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Any plant with leaves, seeds, or flowers used primarily for flavoring food, medicine, or perfume.
"She chopped a handful of fresh herbs, including basil and parsley, to garnish the roasted vegetables."
A seed-bearing plant that does not develop persistent woody tissue and dies down to the ground at the end of its growing season.
"Botanically speaking, a banana plant is considered a giant herb rather than a tree because its stem contains no true woody tissue."
Word Nuance & Usage
A notable pronunciation distinction exists: in American English, the initial 'h' is typically silent, whereas in British English, the 'h' is clearly pronounced.
• Rhymes for herb
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English 'erbe', via Old French 'erbe', ultimately from Latin 'herba' meaning 'grass, green crop, or herb'. The 'h' was re-introduced in English spelling later to match the Latin root.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.