# herbarium

/ɝˈbɛˌɹiəm/ (US) · /hɜːbˈeəɹiəm/ (UK) · CEFR C2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/herbarium
Updated: 2026-10-14

## Definition

a collection of dried plants kept for science and study. You can visit one to see what plants from different places and times look like.

For teachers: a systematically ordered collection of preserved plant specimens, usually dried, pressed and mounted for taxonomic reference and research. Typically housed in botanical gardens, museums or universities.

## Examples

- The university keeps a small herbarium for students.
- The botany students visit the herbarium to compare dried leaves with fresh samples from the field.
- Founded in the nineteenth century, the national herbarium now houses over two million pressed specimens that document shifts in flowering times across changing climates.

## Usage notes

- Plural 'herbaria' or 'herbariums'; refers both to the collection and the room or institution housing it.

---

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.