# basil

/ˈbæzəɫ/ (US) · /bˈæzəl/ (UK) · CEFR B1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/basil
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Definition

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.

For teachers: 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.

## Usage notes

- Uncountable when referring to the herb as a general ingredient; countable when referring to specific varieties or individual plants.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.