WORDLE ENGLISH
basil
noun
basil—an aromatic herb with green leaves, used especially in cooking (often in Italian dishes).
/ˈbæz.əl/, /ˈbeɪ.zəl/
Origin
Inherited from Middle English basile, from Middle French basile, from Old French basile, from Medieval Latin basilicum, from Ancient Greek βασιλικόν (basilikón, “royal”), from βασιλεύς (basileús, “king”). Doublet of basilic, basilicon, and basilicum; further related to basileus, basilean, and basileiolatry.
noun
- uncountable, usuallyA plant (Ocimum basilicum).
- uncountable, usuallyThe leaves of this plant used as a herb.
- uncountable, usuallyAny other species in the genus Ocimum.
- The angle to which a joiner's tool is ground away.“[H]old the edge of your Iron upvvards in your left hand and your VVhet-ſtone in your right, and having firſt ſpit upon your Stone to vvet it, apply it to the Baſil of your Iron, in ſuch a Poſition tha”
- The skin of a sheep tanned with bark.“Each sleeper has for covering a large basil (dressed sheep-skin), such as cobblers use for aprons. As they lie in long rows, in the most profound repose, with these dark brown wrappers about them, the”
- obsoleteA type of cannon.
- archaic, historicalA fetter fastened round the ankle of a prisoner.“When I once more feel that sharp smarting around the scabby sores that cluster like so many oysters on my ankles beneath my chained iron basils, I know that the tide has turned.”
- abbreviation, acronym, alt-of, uncountableAcronym of biphasic acid scavenging utilising ionic liquids.
verb
- transitiveTo grind the edge of a tool to an acute angle.“These usually large chisels may have the edge basiled on either the inside or the outside of the 90° angle of the blade.”
name
- A male given name from Ancient Greek, in quiet but steady use in the UK.“"Nonsense. I'm sure he can't have grey hair with such a pretty name as that. Basil Brooke, Basil Brooke," and May chanted the name over and over in her girlish, musical voice. "It sounds like all sort”
Formsbasils(plural) · basils(present, singular, third-person) · basiling(US, participle, present) · basilling(UK, participle, present) · basiled(US, participle, past) · basiled(US, past) · basilled(UK, participle, past) · basilled(UK, past)
Appeared In
Daily Puzzle #1775 · April 29, 2026
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