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Glite Dictionary
common basil

common basil

2.6
A small herb with green leaves used to add flavor to food
  • noun
  • /ˈkɑːmən ˈbeɪzəl/
translation icon : albahaca común
  • Many Mediterranean dishes call for common basil as a key ingredient.

Examples

  • Fresh common basil leaves add a fragrant flavor to tomato sauce.

  • He grows common basil in his kitchen garden for cooking.

  • I love adding common basil to my pasta dishes.

  • Have you tried using common basil in your salad?

  • You can add common basil to your salad for extra flavor.

  • I love making pesto with common basil from my garden.

  • In Italian cuisine, common basil is often used to enhance the taste of sauces.

Synonyms

basil
vscommon basil
91 1.0

A green plant with a strong smell used in cooking

refers specifically to a tropical Asian type with small white flowers
sweet basil
vscommon basil
1 2.0

A green herb with a strong smell used to flavor food like tomatoes

highlights tropical origin and small white flowers rather than general culinary use

Surface Forms

common basil singular
common basils plural

Morphology

common + basil

The phrase simply combines the adjective 'common' (widespread, ordinary) with the noun 'basil' (the herb), so its meaning—a basil that is common or widely used—is directly and transparently derivable from the parts. This adjective+noun composition is a basic, cross-linguistically familiar pattern that a B1 learner who knows both words will readily understand.

Etymology

Common basil combines common and basil; basil may come from an old word meaning 'royal'. People once treated the plant as special, but it later became the everyday herb we use in cooking, so the name helps remember that this is the familiar, fragrant herb.