basil









basil


noun

  1. any of several aromatic herbs belonging to the genus Ocimum, of the mint family, as O. basilicum (sweet basil), having purplish-green ovate leaves used in cooking.

noun

  1. Saint.Also Basilius.the Great, a.d. 329?–379, bishop of Caesarea in Asia Minor (brother of Saint Gregory of Nyssa).
  2. a male given name: from a Greek word meaning “royal.”

noun

  1. Also called: sweet basil a Eurasian plant, Ocimum basilicum, having spikes of small white flowers and aromatic leaves used as herbs for seasoning: family Lamiaceae (labiates)
  2. Also called: wild basil a European plant, Satureja vulgaris (or Clinopodium vulgare), with dense clusters of small pink or whitish flowers: family Lamiaceae
  3. basil-thyme a European plant, Acinos arvensis, having clusters of small violet-and-white flowers: family Lamiaceae

noun

  1. Saint, called the Great, ?329–379 ad, Greek patriarch: an opponent of Arianism and one of the founders of monasticism. Feast day: Jan 2, June 14, or Jan 1
n.

aromatic shrubby plant, early 15c., from Old French basile (15c., Modern French basilic), from Medieval Latin basilicum, from Greek basilikon (phyton) “royal (plant),” from basileus “king” (see Basil). So called, probably, because it was believed to have been used in making royal perfumes. In Latin, confused with basiliscus (see basilisk) because it was supposed to be an antidote to the basilisk’s venom.

masc. proper name, from Latin Basilius, from Greek Basileios “kingly, royal,” from basileus “king,” of unknown origin, possibly from a language of Asia Minor (cf. Lydian battos “king”).

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