# basil

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈbæz.əl/ · frequency rank #12,008

## Definitions
1. A plant (Ocimum basilicum).
2. The leaves of this plant used as a herb.
3. Any other species in the genus Ocimum.

## Etymology
Inherited from Middle English basile, from Middle French basile, from Old French basile, from Medieval Latin basilicum, from Ancient Greek βασιλικόν (basilikón, “royal”), from βασιλεύς (basileús, “king”). Doublet of basilic, basilicon, and basilicum; further related to basileus, basilean, and basileiolatry.

## Easily confused with
- **bass** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/basil-vs-bass)
- **boil** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/basil-vs-boil)
- **bask** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/basil-vs-bask)
- **Basu** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/basil-vs-basu)
- **bast** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/basil-vs-bast)
- **basis** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/basil-vs-basis)
- **basin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/basil-vs-basin)
- **Basra** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/basil-vs-basra)
- **Brazil** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/basil-vs-brazil)
- **basins** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/basil-vs-basins)
- **basing** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/basil-vs-basing)
- **Baskin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/basil-vs-baskin)
- **busily** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/basil-vs-busily)
- **Bas** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bas-vs-basil)
- **bai** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bai-vs-basil)
- **bal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bal-vs-basil)
- **base** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/base-vs-basil)
- **ball** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ball-vs-basil)
- **bail** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bail-vs-basil)
- **bait** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bait-vs-basil)

## Common misspellings (7)
`absil`, `baisl`, `basill`, `basli`, `bassil`, `bbasil`, `bsail`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/basil