rosemary

rosemary — noun

1. a small bush with thin, grey-green leaves that have a strong, sweet smell. In co

1.nounB1
Definition

a small bush with thin, grey-green leaves that have a strong, sweet smell. In cooking, the leaves season meat, vegetables, and breads. The leaves are also put into perfumes and soaps for their pleasant scent.

Example

Hoa picked a few sprigs of rosemary from the garden for the pasta sauce.

collocation: sprig of rosemary / pick rosemary

A rosemary bush grows well in dry, sunny places and needs very little water.

collocation: [plant] grows well in [conditions]

Common collocations
  • fresh rosemary
  • dried rosemary
  • rosemary leaves
  • sprig of rosemary
  • rosemary bush
  • rosemary plant
  • rosemary oil
  • chopped rosemary
  • rosemary and thyme
Synonyms
  • herb

    a much broader category; rosemary is one specific herb among many

  • seasoning

    refers to any substance that adds flavour to food, not the plant itself

Grammar Patterns

rosemary as uncountable: the herb as a substance or ingredient

a rosemary / rosemary bush as countable: the plant itself

Usage Note

Rosemary can be treated as uncountable when referring to the leaves as a food ingredient ('add some rosemary'), or as countable when referring to the living plant or its varieties ('a rosemary', 'three rosemary bushes').

Common Mistakes

❗ 'Rosemarry' or 'rosmary' ✅ 'rosemary' — the spelling has one 'r' after 'rose' and no 'r' between 'm' and 'a'.

❗ 'Rosemary is a kind of flower' ✅ 'Rosemary is a bush with needle-like leaves and small blue or purple flowers.' — the plant's leaves, not its flowers, are what make it famous in cooking.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Rosemary, thyme, sage, oregano, and basil are all aromatic herbs used in cooking, but they differ in flavour strength, leaf texture, and typical dishes. Rosemary has a strong, pine-like flavour and needle-shaped leaves that stay tough even after cooking; it is especially common with roasted meats and breads. Thyme has tiny leaves and a milder, earthy taste that pairs well with stews and poultry. Sage has soft, broad leaves and a slightly bitter, peppery flavour often used in stuffing and butter sauces. Oregano is pungent and slightly spicy, a staple in tomato-based Italian and Greek dishes. Basil is sweet and peppery with tender leaves best used fresh in salads, pasta, and pesto. A cook might use rosemary and thyme together for a roast chicken, but would rarely substitute basil for rosemary in the same dish.

thymesage ↗oreganobasil ↗

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

The word 'rosemary' comes from Latin 'ros marinus', which means 'dew of the sea'. The plant was given this name because it grows naturally near the Mediterranean coast, and the tiny drops of moisture on its leaves look like dew. Over time, 'ros marinus' became 'rosmarine' in Old French and then 'rosemary' in English.