noun
herbarium
her-BAIR-ee-um
Herbarium (noun) means a collection of dried plants that have been preserved for study. Example: “The botanist pressed the flower and added it to her herbarium.”
noun
1
A collection of dried plants that have been preserved for study.
"The botanist pressed the flower and added it to her herbarium."
"Old herbariums often hold specimens collected more than a century ago."
"Each sheet in the herbarium carried a label with the plant's name and the place it was found."
2
A building or institution that houses such a collection.
"The university herbarium is open to researchers by appointment."
"Staff at the herbarium catalogue thousands of new specimens every year."
"We visited the herbarium to see how dried plants are stored and labelled."
How to use herbarium
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA herbarium is a stored collection of dried plants, or the place that keeps them.
When to use it
The word is mostly used in botanical and scientific contexts.
Memory tip
Remember the two plurals, herbariums and herbaria, are both correct.
Trace the full origin ↓
Common pairings
press specimens for a herbarium
a university herbarium
catalogue a herbarium collection
visit the herbarium
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like herbarium.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The botanist pressed the flower and added it to her _____.
Etymology
Herbarium comes straight from the Latin word herbārium. It shares a root with the word arbor, making the two words doublets of one another.
Rhymes for herbarium
See all rhymes for herbarium →Frequently asked questions
What does herbarium mean?
A herbarium is either a collection of dried, pressed plants kept for study, or the building where such a collection is stored.
Is herbarium a Latin word?
Yes, it comes directly from the Latin herbārium.
What is the plural of herbarium?
Both herbariums and herbaria are used as the plural form.
What is the meaning of herbarium?
"herbarium" (noun) means a collection of dried plants that have been preserved for study.
