Basil
Basil (UK: , US: ; Ocimum basilicum), also called great basil or Saint-Joseph’s-wort, is a culinary herb of the family Lamiaceae (mints).
Basil is native to tropical regions from central Africa to Southeast Asia. It is a tender plant, and is used in cuisines worldwide. Depending on the species and cultivar, the leaves may taste somewhat like anise, with a strong, pungent, often sweet smell.
There are many varieties of basil, as well as several related species or hybrids also called basil. The type used commonly as a flavor is typically called sweet basil (or Genovese basil), as opposed to Thai basil (O. basilicum var. thyrsiflora), lemon basil (O. × citriodorum), and holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum). While most common varieties of basil are treated as annuals, some are perennial in warm, tropical climates, including holy basil and a cultivar known as “African blue basil”.
Basil (noun)
A plant (Ocimum basilicum).
Basil (noun)
The leaves of this plant used as a herb.
Basil (noun)
Any other species in the genus Ocimum.
Basil (noun)
The angle to which a joiner’s tool is ground away.
Basil (noun)
The skin of a sheep tanned with bark.
Basil (verb)
To grind the edge of a tool to an acute angle.
Tulsi (noun)
Holy basil, Ocimum tenuiflorum.
Basil (noun)
an aromatic plant of the mint family, native to tropical Asia. The leaves are used as a culinary herb, especially in Mediterranean dishes
“garnish the baked pizza with fresh basil”
“basil sauce”
Basil (noun)
a European plant which grows in hedges and scrub.