herb
- 01 B1 Intermediate
a plant with soft leaves used to add flavor to food.
any green, leafy plant or plant part used to season or flavour food.
Simple“She chopped fresh herbs like parsley and basil to put in the pasta sauce.”
In context“The chef insisted on using fresh herbs rather than dried ones to preserve the delicate aromatic profile of the Mediterranean dish.”
PitfallI added some herbs on the soup. I added some herbs to the soup.Use the preposition 'to' when adding ingredients like herbs to a dish.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
a plant used to make natural medicine or tea to help with health.
a plant whose roots, leaves, or seeds are utilised for their therapeutic or medicinal properties.
Simple“The local shop sells various herbs that help you sleep better at night.”
In context“Traditional healers have long relied on specific forest herbs to treat inflammatory conditions before modern pharmaceuticals were available.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
a plant that has a soft green stem instead of a woody one.
a seed-producing plant that does not develop persistent woody tissue and dies down to the ground at the end of a growing season.
Simple“Unlike trees, a herb does not have a hard trunk and usually dies in winter.”
In context“The botanical survey classified the new species as a perennial herb due to its non-woody stem and seasonal growth cycle.”
- 04 C1 Advanced
a slang word for the drug cannabis.
a slang term for cannabis, often used within specific subcultures.
Simple“In some cultures, people use the word herb to refer to marijuana.”
In context“The lyrics of the song frequently reference herb as a central element of the artist's spiritual and social lifestyle.”
- 05 C2 Proficiency
a slang word for someone who is boring, weak, or not cool.
a derogatory slang term for an individual perceived as socially inept, weak, or unfashionable.
Simple“He felt like a total herb when he showed up to the party in the wrong clothes.”
In context“The teenagers dismissed him as a herb because he refused to participate in their risky behavior.”
UsageIn this sense, the 'h' is almost always pronounced, even by speakers who usually drop it.
Teacher's tipThis is specific to older American hip-hop slang; it may sound dated to younger speakers.