Word
basil
US/ˈbæzəɫ/
UK/bˈæzəl/
Definition
n. a green herb with a sweet, strong smell that is used in cooking. It is a very common ingredient in Italian food like pasta sauce and pesto.
n. an aromatic culinary herb of the mint family, Ocimum basilicum, widely used in Mediterranean and Southeast Asian cuisines.
Examples
“I always add fresh basil to my tomato sauce.”
“The chef suggests tearing the basil leaves by hand rather than chopping them to preserve their delicate flavor.”
“While dried herbs are convenient for long-simmering stews, the volatile oils in fresh basil are best preserved when the leaves are added just before serving the finished dish.”
Examples
simple
“I always add fresh basil to my tomato sauce.”
contextual
“The chef suggests tearing the basil leaves by hand rather than chopping them to preserve their delicate flavor.”
complex
“While dried herbs are convenient for long-simmering stews, the volatile oils in fresh basil are best preserved when the leaves are added just before serving the finished dish.”
Usage
Uncountable when referring to the herb as a general ingredient; countable when referring to specific varieties or individual plants.
Etymology
Name of several early saints, particularly in the Orthodox Church, from Latin Basilius, from Ancient Greek Βασίλειος (Basíleios). Doublet of Vasilios and Vasily.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.