rosemary Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun widely cultivated for its fragrant grey-green leaves used in cooking and in perfumery
    Rosmarinus officinalis.
  2. noun extremely pungent leaves used fresh or dried as seasoning for especially meats

WordNet

Rose"ma*ry noun
Etymology
OE. rosmarine, L. rosmarinus; ros dew (cf. Russ. rosa, Lith. rasa, Skr. rasa juice) + marinus marine: cf. F. romarin. In English the word has been changed as if it meant the rose of Mary. See Marine.
Definitions
  1. A labiate shrub (Rosmarinus officinalis) with narrow grayish leaves, growing native in the southern part of France, Spain, and Italy, also in Asia Minor and in China. It has a fragrant smell, and a warm, pungent, bitterish taste. It is used in cookery, perfumery, etc., and is an emblem of fidelity or constancy.
    There's rosemary, that's for remembrance. Shak.

Webster 1913