English

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chervil Anthriscus cerefolium

Etymology

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From Middle English chervell, from Old English cerfille, from Anglo-Norman chervele (compare Jèrriais chèrfi), from Latin chaerephylla, plural of chaerephyllum, from Ancient Greek χαιρέφυλλον (khairéphullon).

Pronunciation

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Noun

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chervil (countable and uncountable, plural chervils)

  1. (countable) A leafy herb, Anthriscus cerefolium, resembling parsley.
    • 1940, Rosetta E. Clarkson, Green Enchantments: The Magic Spell of Gardens, The Macmillan Company, page 253:
      The life of one plant would be affected by another. Rue was definitely hostile to basil, rosemary to hyssop, but coriander, dill and chervil lived on the friendliest of terms[.]
  2. (uncountable) Leaves from the plant, used as an herb in cooking, which have a mild flavor of anise.
    • 2016, Susan Belsinger, Arthur O. Tucker, The Culinary Herbal, Timber Press, →ISBN, page 57:
      No herb, except perhaps tarragon, is quite so French as chervil, an association that is not surprising for a nation known for its celebration of fine food and the subtle use of herbs.
    • 2017, Alice Arndt, Seasoning Savvy: How to Cook with Herbs, Spices, and Other Flavorings[1], CRC Press, →ISBN:
      Cook fresh chervil leaves very little, if at all. They are best when added to a dish after it has been cooked, or toward the end of the cooking time.

Synonyms

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Derived terms

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References

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Anagrams

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