basil

basil — noun

1. a green leafy plant whose soft, sweet-smelling leaves are torn or chopped into f

1.nounB1
Definition

a green leafy plant whose soft, sweet-smelling leaves are torn or chopped into food, especially Italian and Thai dishes, to give them a warm, slightly peppery taste.

Example

Quinn tore some fresh basil over the tomato pizza just before serving.

collocation: fresh basil + tear over [dish]

The Thai chef stirred a handful of basil leaves into the chicken curry.

collocation: a handful of basil leaves

Common collocations
  • fresh basil
  • dried basil
  • chopped basil
  • basil leaves
  • a sprig of basil
  • a handful of basil
  • tear basil
  • sprinkle basil
Synonyms
  • sweet basil

    the most common kitchen variety; the default meaning of 'basil' in recipes

  • Thai basil

    a sharper, more aniseed-flavoured variety used in Southeast Asian cooking

Grammar Patterns

fresh basil

dried basil

a sprig of basil

Usage Note

Almost always uncountable: say 'some basil' or 'a leaf of basil', not 'a basil' or 'two basils'. The plant itself can be counted ('three basil plants'), but the herb as an ingredient cannot.

Common Mistakes

I bought two basils at the market.
I bought two bunches of basil at the market.
'basil' is uncountable; count the container or the plant, not the herb itself.
She put a basil on the pizza.
She put a basil leaf on the pizza.
to count the herb, name a leaf, sprig, or pinch.

Word family

  • basil leaf
    nounB1
  • basil-flavoured
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four are leafy green herbs used to flavour cooked food, but they fit very different dishes. Basil has a sweet, slightly peppery taste and is the signature herb of Italian tomato-and-cheese dishes and Thai stir-fries; it bruises easily, so cooks usually tear it by hand and add it at the end. Oregano is stronger, drier, and more bitter, and is most often used dried on pizza or in long-cooked meat sauces. Mint is cool and sharp, and tends to appear in drinks, salads, and Middle Eastern lamb dishes rather than in pasta. Parsley is the mildest of the four; it is mostly chopped raw as a fresh garnish on soup, fish, or potatoes. Choose basil when you want a warm, fragrant lift; choose parsley when you only want a clean green note.

basil ↗oreganomint ↗parsley

Common collocations

Nouns

  • basil leaves
  • basil plant
  • basil oil
  • basil pesto
  • tomato and basil

Phrases

  • fresh basil
  • dried basil
  • chopped basil
  • a sprig of basil
  • a handful of basil
  • a pinch of basil

Prepositions

  • with basil
  • of basil

Etymology

GreekLatinOld FrenchEnglish

The word came into English in the 1400s through Old French 'basile' from Latin 'basilicum', which the Romans borrowed from Greek 'basilikon', meaning 'royal' or 'kingly' (from 'basileus', 'king'). Greek writers called the plant 'royal' probably because its scent was thought fit for a king's perfume or because it was used in royal medicines. The 'royal' meaning faded in English, leaving only the herb name.