noun
chervil
CHUR-vil
Chervil (noun) means a leafy herb related to parsley, grown for use in cooking. Example: “She grew chervil in a pot on the kitchen windowsill.”
noun
1
A leafy herb related to parsley, grown for use in cooking.
"She grew chervil in a pot on the kitchen windowsill."
"Chervil is delicate, so it is best added to a dish at the end."
"The garden had rows of parsley and chervil."
2
The leaves of this herb, used in cooking for their mild aniseed flavour.
"He sprinkled fresh chervil over the omelette."
"The sauce needed a little chopped chervil."
"Chervil gives the soup a faint taste of aniseed."
How to use chervil
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishChervil is a soft, leafy herb with a gentle aniseed taste, used in cooking.
When to use it
Chervil is an ordinary food and gardening word, common in recipes.
Memory tip
The herb is usually mentioned as a countable plant or an uncountable ingredient, as in some chervil.
Trace the full origin ↓
Common pairings
fresh chervil
chopped chervil
sprig of chervil
chervil leaves
garden chervil
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She grew _____ in a pot on the kitchen windowsill.
Etymology
Chervil comes from Middle English chervell, which came from Old English cerfille. That in turn came via Anglo-Norman from Latin and, before that, from an Ancient Greek word.
Synonyms
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garden chervil
French parsley
Frequently asked questions
What does chervil taste like?
Chervil has a mild flavour with a hint of aniseed.
Is chervil the same as parsley?
No, but chervil is a herb that looks similar to parsley. It is sometimes called French parsley.
How do you pronounce chervil?
It is said CHUR-vil, with the stress on the first syllable.
What is the meaning of chervil?
"chervil" (noun) means a leafy herb related to parsley, grown for use in cooking.
