noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/pəˈɹɪl.ə/
rhymes with -ɪlə
1
noun
Meaning 1
An East Asian herb with flavorful leaves used in cooking and as a garnish, Perilla frutescens. Also grown for the seeds, which contain an edible and industrially-useful oil.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
small genus of Asiatic herbs
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: genus Perilla
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: asterid dicot genus
History
Etymology
From translingual Perilla (genus name).
Across languages
Translations
15 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Catalan:
alfàbrega japonesa
— East Asian herb
Chinese Cantonese:
紫蘇 /紫苏
(ji2 sou1)
— East Asian herb