herbal

1 of 2

noun

herb·​al ˈ(h)ər-bəl 

1

: a book about plants especially with reference to their medicinal properties

2

archaic : herbarium sense 1

3

: herbal medicine sense 2

Some herbals may indeed be gentle remedies. But using them with prescription drugs can be a dangerous mix.

—Josh Fischman

herbal

2 of 2

adjective

: of, relating to, utilizing, or made of herbs

Examples of herbal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Descriptions of wolfsbane and its poison in the English language trace back to sixteenth-century European herbals. —Laura Murphy, JSTOR Daily, 28 Feb. 2025

Incredibly clean with light hints of fruit, a pleasing green herbal, and citrus character lightly dancing upon your tongue. —Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024

Adjective

Going forward, the focus will be on the physical store, in-store collaborations and the new wellness café Koi 11, where the menu includes matcha protein shakes, herbal teas and nutritious snacks made without refined sugar. —Samantha Conti, WWD, 17 Mar. 2025

Roche used a palette of ochers, earthy browns, herbal greens, and warm yellows across every room in her house. —Amy Panos, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1526, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1612, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing herbal

• herbal medicine
• herbal remedy

Rhymes for herbal

• gerbil
• verbal
• nonverbal
• preverbal

Kids Definition

herbal

adjective

herb·​al

ˈ(h)ər-bəl

: of, relating to, or made of herbs

Medical Definition

herbal

1 of 2 noun

herb·​al ˈ(h)ər-bəl 

1

: a book about plants especially with reference to their medical properties

2

: herbal remedy

herbal

2 of 2 adjective

: of, relating to, or made of herbs