What does "basil" mean?
A plant (Ocimum basilicum).
Basil
/ˈbæz.əl/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Uncommon ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A plant (Ocimum basilicum).
- Grammar: basil is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: sweet basil, apostle, basil plant, condiment.
- Usage evidence: I like to add basil to season my spaghetti sauce.
How to use "basil"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "basil" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "basil" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "basil" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "basil" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "basil" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "sweet basil" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "basil", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A plant (Ocimum basilicum). uncountable, usually
- 2 The angle to which a joiner's tool is ground away.
"[H]old the edge of your Iron upvvards in your left hand and your VVhet-ſtone in your right, and having firſt ſpit upon your Stone to vvet it, apply it to the Baſil of your Iron, in ſuch a Poſition that it may bear upon the vvhole bredth of the Baſil; and ſo vvorking the Stone over the Baſil, you vvill quickly vvear the courſer grating of the Grind ſtone off the edge on that ſide: […]"
- 3 The skin of a sheep tanned with bark.
"Each sleeper has for covering a large basil (dressed sheep-skin), such as cobblers use for aprons. As they lie in long rows, in the most profound repose, with these dark brown wrappers about them, they present the uniform look and arrangement of a long line of mummies."
- 4 A type of cannon. obsolete
- 5 Acronym of biphasic acid scavenging utilising ionic liquids. abbreviation, acronym, alt-of, uncountable
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 leaves of the common basil; used fresh or dried wordnet
- 7 The leaves of this plant used as a herb. uncountable, usually
- 8 A fetter fastened round the ankle of a prisoner. archaic, historical
"When I once more feel that sharp smarting around the scabby sores that cluster like so many oysters on my ankles beneath my chained iron basils, I know that the tide has turned."
- 9 any of several Old World tropical aromatic annual or perennial herbs of the genus Ocimum wordnet
- 10 Any other species in the genus Ocimum. uncountable, usually
Verb
- 1 To grind the edge of a tool to an acute angle. transitive
"These usually large chisels may have the edge basiled on either the inside or the outside of the 90° angle of the blade."
Proper Noun
- 1 A male given name from Ancient Greek, in quiet but steady use in the UK.
""Nonsense. I'm sure he can't have grey hair with such a pretty name as that. Basil Brooke, Basil Brooke," and May chanted the name over and over in her girlish, musical voice. "It sounds like all sorts of pleasant pictures. - -"
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"I like to add basil to season my spaghetti sauce."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "basil"?
Common synonyms include: sweet basil, apostle, basil plant, condiment, disciple, evangelist.
How do you use "basil" in a sentence?
I like to add basil to season my spaghetti sauce.
How do you pronounce "basil"?
Pronounced /ˈbæz.əl/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Inherited from Middle English basile, from Middle French basile, from Old French basile, from Medieval Latin basilicum, from Ancient Greek βασιλικόν (basilikón, “royal”), from βασιλεύς (basileús, “king”). Doublet of basilic, basilicon, and basilicum; further related to basileus, basilean, and basileiolatry.
Etymology 2
Variant of bezel.
Etymology 3
Corrupted from English basan, from French basane, from Late Latin basanium, from Arabic بِطانَة (biṭāna, “lining”).
Etymology 4
From Old French basile (“basilisk”).
Etymology 5
Name of several early saints, particularly in the Orthodox Church, from Latin Basilius, from Ancient Greek Βασίλειος (Basíleios). Doublet of Vasilios and Vasily.