basil
- noun
- B2
- Top 10000
A plant with soft green leaves that are added to food for their strong sweet smell, especially to tomato dishes and pasta.
Tear the basil leaves by hand instead of cutting them.
A pot of basil on the windowsill needs plenty of light.
The pizza came with fresh basil and soft white cheese.
Dried basil tastes much weaker than the fresh green leaves.
Common collocations: fresh basil · dried basil · a sprig of basil · chopped basil · basil leaves
Part of: Vegetables, Cooking, Plants