basil
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basil¹
- /ˈbæz.əl/ Australia, Canada, New Zealand
- /ˈbeɪ.zəl/ Canada, US
Sounds like Basil · Rhymes with -æzəl, -eɪzəl
Where it comes from
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.
noun basils
-
A plant (Ocimum basilicum).
Similar: sweet basil, St. Joseph's wort, common basil, American dittany, great basil
-
The leaves of this plant used as a herb.
Similar: sweet basil
- Any other species in the genus Ocimum.
basil²
- /ˈbæz.əl/ Australia, Canada, New Zealand
- /ˈbeɪ.zəl/ Canada, US
Sounds like Basil · Rhymes with -æzəl, -eɪzəl
Where it comes from
Variant of bezel.
noun basils
- 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 vvi
basil³
- /ˈbæz.əl/ Australia, Canada, New Zealand
- /ˈbeɪ.zəl/ Canada, US
Sounds like Basil · Rhymes with -æzəl, -eɪzəl
Where it comes from
Corrupted from English basan, from French basane, from Late Latin basanium, from Arabic بِطانَة (biṭāna, “lining”).
noun basils
- 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.
basil⁴
- /ˈbæz.əl/ Australia, Canada, New Zealand
- /ˈbeɪ.zəl/ Canada, US
Sounds like Basil · Rhymes with -æzəl, -eɪzəl
Where it comes from
From Old French basile (“basilisk”).
noun basils
- A type of cannon.
- A fetter fastened round the ankle of a prisoner. 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.
Basil⁵
- /ˈbæz.əl/
Rhymes with -æzəl
Where it comes from
Name of several early saints, particularly in the Orthodox Church, from Latin Basilius, from Ancient Greek Βασίλειος (Basíleios). Doublet of Vasilios and Vasily.
proper noun
- 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. - -
BASIL⁶
noun
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: sweet basil, benny, basel, blackwell, basile, byz, genus ocimum, ocimum, ocimum basilicum, genovese basil, common basil, thai basil, holy basil, tulsi, bush basil, lemon basil
Translations
Every language
noun plant
| Español | albahaca |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 바질 bajil |
| 日本語 | バジル bajiru, バジリコ bajiriko, 目箒 mebōki |
| 中文 | 羅勒 /罗勒 luólè |
| हिन्दी | मीठा तुलसी mīṭhā tulsī |
| Kiswahili | mrehani |
| Português | manjericão, alfavaca, basílico |
| Français | basilic |
| Deutsch | Basilikum |
| Italiano | basilico |
| Ελληνικά | βασιλικός vasilikós |
| Română | busuioc |
| Русский | базили́к bazilík |
| Tiếng Việt | húng tây |
| العربية | رَيْحَان rayḥān, حَبَق ḥabaq |
| עברית | רֵיחָן rēḥán, בָּזִילִיקוּם bazíliqum |
Talk about this word "basil." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/basil. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. basil. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/basil "basil." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/basil.Cite this
@misc{basil_2026,
title = {basil},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/basil},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
