herb

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A plant whose leaves or seeds are used to add flavour to food.

   She added fresh herbs like basil and mint to the salad.

2. 2
   noun

   A plant used in medicine.

   Some people drink herb teas to help them sleep.

Appears in

Simplified etymology

Herb entered Middle English through Old French from Latin herba, “grass, green crops, herb.” Although always spelled with an h, it was commonly pronounced without the h until the 19th century, a pronunciation that remains standard in American English.

From Middle English herbe, erbe, from Old French erbe (French herbe), from Latin herba. Initial h was restored to the spelling in the 15th century on the basis of Latin, but it remained mute until the 19th century and still is for many speakers. Doublet of yerba.

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External links

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• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary