basil Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun any of several Old World tropical aromatic annual or perennial herbs of the genus Ocimum
  2. noun (Roman Catholic Church) the bishop of Caesarea who defended the Roman Catholic Church against the heresies of the 4th century; a saint and Doctor of the Church (329-379)
    St. Basil; St. Basil the Great; Basil the Great; Basil of Caesarea.
  3. noun leaves of the common basil; used fresh or dried
    sweet basil.

WordNet

Bas"il noun
Etymology
Cf. F. basile and E. Bezel.
Definitions
  1. The slope or angle to which the cutting edge of a tool, as a plane, is ground. Grier.
Bas"il transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Basiled (); present participle & verbal noun Basiling
Definitions
  1. To grind or form the edge of to an angle. Moxon.
Bas"il noun
Etymology
F. basilic, fr. L. badilicus royal, Gr. , fr. king.
Definitions
  1. (Bot.) The name given to several aromatic herbs of the Mint family, but chiefly to the common or sweet basil (Ocymum basilicum), and the bush basil, or lesser basil (O. minimum), the leaves of which are used in cookery. The name is also given to several kinds of mountain mint (Pycnanthemum).
Bas"il noun
Etymology
Corrupt. from E. basan, F. basane, LL. basanium, bazana, fr. Ar. bithana, prop., lining.
Definitions
  1. The skin of a sheep tanned with bark.

Webster 1913