basil

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“
For basil, which is a high-moisture herb and, therefore, must be dried quickly to prevent molding, you can use the microwave.

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Definitions (16)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (3)

  1. noun An Old World aromatic annual herb (Ocimum basilicum) in the mint family, cultivated for its leaves. Also called sweet basil.
  2. noun The leaves of this plant used as a seasoning.
  3. noun Any of various plants in the genus Ocimum, native to warm regions, having aromatic foliage and terminal clusters of small, usually white flowers.

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (6)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (4)

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Examples (50)

  • I have been known to toss in a bit of basil, OK, a lot of basil, which is probably not kosher but is tasty.
  • We accented them with a salsa of roasted red piquillo peppers, basil, and olive oil. —  Miami New Times | Complete Issue
  • I get a whiff of basil, and I float back to the first summer I spent living away from home as a young adult. —  TNT Diner
  • Salmonella outbreak in the UK was traced back to imported basil, and an
  • The basic tomato and mozzarella cheese pizza is the foundation for a few seasonal variations and this recently they included choices of basil, arugula, anchovies, lamb sausage and spicy salami. —  An Exploration of Portland Food and Drink
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This word has been looked up 129 times.

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Etymologies (3)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Middle English, from Old French basile, from Medieval Latin basilicum, from Greek basilikon, from neuter of basilikos, royal; see basilica.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (2)

  1. Early modern English also bazil, bassel, from Middle English basile, from Old French basile, modern F. basilic = Italian basilico, from Middle Latin basilicum, basilicon (cf. Latin basilisca, a plant, also called regula, mentioned as an antidote for the bite of the basilisk: see basilisk), from Greek βασιλικόν (sc. λάχανον, herb), basil, neuter of βασιλικός, royal, from βασιλεύς, king, a word of unknown origin.
  2. Early modern English (def. 1) bassil, from Old French basile, modern F. basilic, a basilisk: see basilisk.
 

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/ˈbæzɪl/
by American Heritage

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