WordWeb Online

1. Any of several Old World tropical aromatic annual or perennial herbs of the genus Ocimum
    
2. Leaves of the common basil; used fresh or dried
   - sweet basil

1. (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, Basil of Caesarea, Basil the Great, St. Basil the Great

Derived forms: basils

Type of: Church Father, Doctor, Doctor of the Church, Father, Father of the Church, herb, herbaceous plant, saint, theologian, theologiser [Brit], theologist, theologizer

Part of: common basil, genus Ocimum, Ocimum, Ocimum basilicum, sweet basil

Encyclopedia: Basil, Sir Zaharoff