Herbing

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Collecting or working with aromatic and medicinal plants, especially for use in cooking, medicine, or flavoring
2. The activity of gathering or applying leafy plants valued for their scent, taste, or healing properties
3. Gathering, preparing, or applying flavorful and healing plants, typically for cooking or traditional remedies

Etymology: "Herbing" is built from "herb" and the suffix "-ing," so its history runs through the older word. "Herb" came into English from Old French "herbe," which descends from Latin "herba," meaning grass or green plant. Both the Latin and French words covered grasses and low-growing plants, not only the culinary and medicinal herbs we mean today. Because "herbing" is formed this way, it most likely refers to the act or result of herbs or green growth, such as grazing or pasture. The "-ing" ending turns a noun or verb into a form that names an activity or a collection, so the sense stays close to the plant-related base. The exact sense in any given text depends on context, and the specific usage history is uncertain from the information available here.