yerba
|yer-ba|
🇺🇸
/ˈjɝbə/
🇬🇧
/ˈjɜːbə/
leafy herb (esp. yerba mate)
Etymology
'yerba' originates from Spanish, specifically the word 'yerba' (also spelled 'hierba'), which ultimately comes from Latin 'herba', where 'herba' meant 'grass' or 'herb'.
'yerba' changed from Latin 'herba' into Old Spanish forms such as 'erva'/'hierba' and then modern Spanish 'yerba' (with spelling and pronunciation shifts), and was borrowed into English from Spanish usage (especially in the Americas).
Initially, it meant 'grass' or 'herb' in Latin and Romance languages; in English usage it has retained the general sense but is often narrowed to refer to specific South American herbs (notably yerba mate).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a general Spanish word for a plant, herb, or grass; used in English sometimes to refer to certain herbs or vegetation.
The recipe called for a handful of yerba to add a grassy, herbal note.
Synonyms
Noun 2
short for 'yerba mate' or the dried leaves of Ilex paraguariensis used to make the South American infusion called mate; also used to refer to the plant itself.
We sat around the table passing the gourd and sharing yerba.
Synonyms
Idioms
Last updated: 2025/08/27 12:30