chive

noun

ˈchīv 

: a perennial plant (Allium schoenoprasum) related to the onion and having slender leaves used as a seasoning

also : its leaves

—usually used in plural compare garlic chive

Examples of chive in a Sentence

Do you want chives on your baked potato?

Recent Examples on the Web

Flowers like tree blossoms (lilac, apple, crab apple, pear), violas, marigolds, dahlias and nasturtiums typically bloom first, followed by perennial herbs like thyme, oregano, and chives. —Sara Rosenthal, Denver Post, 27 May 2026

Plant kale alongside green onions and other alliums, such as chives and leeks, to repel common pests like cabbage loopers and aphids. —Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 May 2026

Others, like chives, return year after year with almost no effort. —Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 13 May 2026

Crops like amaranth, chives, rainbow chard, red lettuces and sweet potatoes will add lovely ornamental value to beds, borders and containers before working a second shift on your dinner plate. —ABC News, 12 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin cepa onion

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing chive

• Chinese chive
• garlic chive

Rhymes for chive

• dive
• drive
• five
• hive
• jive
• live
• strive
• thrive
• alive
• archive
• arrive
• beehive

Kids Definition

chive

noun

ˈchīv 

: an herb related to the onion and having leaves used as a seasoning