Definition

Noun: 1. A European annual herb (Borago officinalis): A plant characterized by its hairy leaves and stems, and bright blue, star-shaped flowers. 2. A culinary and medicinal herb: The leaves of this plant are used to flavor drinks and foods; the young leaves can be consumed raw in salads or cooked. The plant has a long history of use in herbal medicine.

Usage Examples

• As a plant/herb:
  • The borage in my garden is thriving and covered in beautiful blue flowers.
  • Borage is easy to grow from seed.
• As a food ingredient:
  • I added some chopped borage leaves to the summer salad for a cucumber-like flavor.
  • The leaves can be cooked like spinach, though borage is often used for its young, tender leaves.
• As a flavoring:
  • Traditional punches and Pimm's Cup are sometimes flavored with borage.
  • The flowers are also edible and are used as a garnish.

Advanced Usage

• Historical/Medicinal Context: Borage has traditionally been associated with courage and gladness. In herbal medicine, it has been used for its purported anti-inflammatory and diuretic properties.
  • Historical texts mention borage for dispelling melancholy.

Variants and Related Words

• Borage Family (Boraginaceae): The plant family to which borage belongs, which also includes forget-me-nots and comfrey.
• Starflower: A common name sometimes used for borage, referring to the shape of its flowers.

Synonyms

• Herb: (general category)
• Starflower: (common name)
• Borago officinalis: (scientific name)

Related Phrases/Idioms

(There are no common idioms or phrasal verbs specifically for "borage".)

Noun

1. an herb whose leaves are used to flavor sauces and punches; young leaves can be eaten in salads or cooked
2. hairy blue-flowered European annual herb long used in herbal medicine and eaten raw as salad greens or cooked like spinach