sweet basil

noun

: a basil (Ocimum basilicum) with whitish or purple flowers that includes several cultivars (such as bush basil)
also : its dried or fresh leaves used especially as a seasoning

Examples of sweet basil in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web This magnesium body lotion from Neom, $41 at Nordstrom, is scented with notes of English lavender, sweet basil and jasmine and packs a big magnesium punch to relax you. Nora Colomer, Fox News, 30 Oct. 2024 Pair with beef cooked in dark red wine or a salad of roma tomatoes, sliced soft cheeses and sweet basil leaves—Caprese style—but doused with black pepper. Tom Mullen, Forbes, 29 Sep. 2024 There are many different species of basils, from the common sweet basil, to a dark purpled foliaged ‘Purple Ruffles’ . Janet B. Carson, arkansasonline.com, 12 Aug. 2024 Lobster Flatbread: Maine and langostino lobster with mozzarella, parmesan, fresh tomatoes and sweet basil over a crispy flatbread. Gabe Hauari, USA TODAY, 19 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for sweet basil 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sweet basil.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1647, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sweet basil was circa 1647

Dictionary Entries Near sweet basil

Cite this Entry

“Sweet basil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sweet%20basil. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

sweet basil

noun
: a mint that has clusters of whitish or purple flowers and leaves often used as a seasoning in cooking

More from Merriam-Webster on sweet basil

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!