Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A plant in which the stem does not become woody and persistent, but dies annually or after flowering down to the ground at least: thus distinguished from a shrub or tree, which has a woody stem or trunk.
  • noun Specifically A herbaceous plant used officinally.
  • noun That part of a vegetable which springs from the root and is terminated by the fructification, including the stem or stalk, the leaves, etc.
  • noun Synonyms Plant, Shrub, etc. See vegetable, n.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A plant whose stem does not become woody and permanent, but dies, at least down to the ground, after flowering.
  • noun Grass; herbage.
  • noun (Bot.) See Bennet.
  • noun (Bot.) an herb (Actæa spicata), whose root is used in nervous diseases; the baneberry. The name is occasionally given to other plants, as the royal fern, the wood betony, etc.
  • noun (Bot.) the goutweed; -- so called in honor of St. Gerard, who used to be invoked against the gout.
  • noun (Bot.) See Rue.
  • noun (Bot.) the daisy. See Marguerite.
  • noun (Bot.) an Old World plant related to the trillium (Paris quadrifolia), commonly reputed poisonous.
  • noun (Bot.) a species of Geranium (Geranium Robertianum.)

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • proper noun A diminutive of the male given name Herbert

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun aromatic potherb used in cookery for its savory qualities
  • noun a plant lacking a permanent woody stem; many are flowering garden plants or potherbs; some having medicinal properties; some are pests

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