Basil

Description

1) A sweet spice prepared from the dried leaves of the herb Ocimum basilicum native to India and the Middle East. Basil is used for flavoring and scent. Its primarily oil components are methyl chavicol and d-linalool.

2) A vegetable tanned sheep or lamb skin prepared with mimosa bark. The tanned or tawed skin was used in books in the early 20th century (Roberts and Etherington 1982).

Synonyms and Related Terms

1) sweet basil; Ocimum basilicum

Additional Information

M.Roberts, D.Etherington, Bookbinding and the Conservation of Books: a Dictionary of Descriptive Terminology, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC, 1982.

Authority

• Matt Roberts, Don Etherington, Bookbinding and the Conservation of Books: a Dictionary of Descriptive Terminology, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington DC, 1982

• The American Heritage Dictionary or Encarta, via Microsoft Bookshelf 98, Microsoft Corp., 1998

• Encyclopedia Britannica, http://www.britannica.com Comment: "Basil." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2004. Encyclopædia Britannica Premium Service. 9 May 2004 .