BASIL
Dictionary entry overview: What does Basil mean?
• BASIL (noun)
The noun BASIL has 3 senses:
1. any of several Old World tropical aromatic annual or perennial herbs of the genus Ocimum
2. (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)
3. leaves of the common basil; used fresh or dried
Familiarity information: BASIL used as a noun is uncommon.
Dictionary entry details
• BASIL (noun)
Meaning:
Any of several Old World tropical aromatic annual or perennial herbs of the genus Ocimum
Classified under:
Nouns denoting plants
Hypernyms ("basil" is a kind of...):
herb; herbaceous plant (a plant lacking a permanent woody stem; many are flowering garden plants or potherbs; some having medicinal properties; some are pests)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "basil"):
common basil; Ocimum basilicum; sweet basil (annual or perennial of tropical Asia having spikes of small white flowers and aromatic leaves; one of the most important culinary herbs; used in salads, casseroles, sauces and some liqueurs)
Holonyms ("basil" is a member of...):
genus Ocimum; Ocimum (basil)
Meaning:
(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)
Classified under:
Nouns denoting people
Synonyms:
Basil of Caesarea; Basil the Great; St. Basil; St. Basil the Great; Basil
Instance hypernyms:
Church Father; Father; Father of the Church ((Christianity) any of about 70 theologians in the period from the 2nd to the 7th century whose writing established and confirmed official church doctrine; in the Roman Catholic Church some were later declared saints and became Doctor of the Church; the best known Latin Church Fathers are Ambrose, Augustine, Gregory the Great, and Jerome; those who wrote in Greek include Athanasius, Basil, Gregory Nazianzen, and John Chrysostom)
Doctor; Doctor of the Church ((Roman Catholic Church) a title conferred on 33 saints who distinguished themselves through the orthodoxy of their theological teaching)
saint (a person who has died and has been declared a saint by canonization)
theologian; theologiser; theologist; theologizer (someone who is learned in theology or who speculates about theology)
Domain category:
Church of Rome; Roman Catholic; Roman Catholic Church; Roman Church; Western Church (the Christian Church based in the Vatican and presided over by a pope and an episcopal hierarchy)
Meaning:
Leaves of the common basil; used fresh or dried
Classified under:
Nouns denoting foods and drinks
Synonyms:
sweet basil; basil
Hypernyms ("basil" is a kind of...):
herb (aromatic potherb used in cookery for its savory qualities)
Holonyms ("basil" is a part of...):
common basil; Ocimum basilicum; sweet basil (annual or perennial of tropical Asia having spikes of small white flowers and aromatic leaves; one of the most important culinary herbs; used in salads, casseroles, sauces and some liqueurs)
