Forms: 1 cærfille, cerfelle, cerfille, 3 chareuille, 4 chiruylle, 4–6 cheruell(e, 5 cherefelle, 6 cheruyle, -uel, -uyll, charuiel, -uel, -vyle, 6–7 chervill, chervile, 7 cherfill, 6– chervil. [OE. cærfille, cerfille, -felle, ad. L. chær(e)phylla pl. of chærephyllum, a. Gr. χαιρέφυλλον, applied to the same plant. Cf. OHG. kervela, kervola wk. fem., MHG. kervele, f. kervel m., Ger. kerbel m., MLG. and MDu. kervele, kervel, Du. kervel fem., from the same L. word or ? its variant cærefolium. The second element of the Gr. is φύλλον leaf, the first possibly from the vb. χαιρ- rejoice, be glad, χαῖρε hail. Cf. CERFOIL.]
1. A garden pot-herb (Anthriscus Cerefolium, formerly Chærophyllum sativum, N.O. Umbelliferæ) the young leaves of which are used to impart an aromatic flavor to soups, stews, salads, etc.
a. 750. Corpus Gloss., in Wr.-Wülcker, 12. Cerefolium, cerfelle.
c. 1000. Sax. Leechd., II. 80. Wið springe … cerfillan.
c. 1265. Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 558. Herba Roberti, i. herbe Robert, i. chareuille.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. VII. 281. Chibolles, cheruelys [v.r. & chiriuellis, B cheruelles] and ripe chiries monye.
c. 1450. Alphita (Anecd. Oxon.), 38. Cerfolium, gall. cerfoil, angl. cherefelle.
1533. Elyot, Cast. Helthe (1541), 27. Cheruyle is verye profytable vnto the stomacke.
1573. Tusser, Husb. (1878), 96–7. Necessarie herbes to growe in the garden for Physick…. Charuiel.
1580. Hollyband, Treas. Fr. Tong, Cerfueil, Charuel.
1699. Evelyn, Acetaria, 18. Chervil, whose tender Tops … are never to be wanting in our Sallets.
1796. C. Marshall, Garden., xvi. (ed. 5), 265. Chervil … was formerly in much estimation for its warm taste.
1860. Delamer, Kitch. Gard., 124. Chervil … is largely used, though in small quantities, chopped fine, in salads, stuffings, sauces, and omelettes.
2. With various qualifying words:
Bur Chervil, Anthriscus vulgaris; Great C., Sweet C., Myrrhis odorata; Hemlock C., Rough C., Torilis Anthriscus; Cow C., Mock C., Wild C., also called Cow Parsley, Anthriscus sylvestris; Needle C., Wild C., Scandix Pecten, commonly called Venus’ Needle.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, 615. In Englishe, Shepheardes Needel, Wilde Cheruel, and Needel Cheruill.
1597. Gerard, Herbal, II. ccccxvi. 1039. Sweet cheruill, or sweet Cicely.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, II. 98/1. Sweet Cisley, or Chervil … [hath] … the leaves much cut and jagged.
1783. Ainsworth, Lat. Dict. (Morell), II. Pecten Veneris, a kind of herb, wild chervil.
1794. Martyn, Rousseau’s Bot., xvii. 231. Two umbellate plants … under every hedge, called Wild Chervil and Rough Chervil.
1804. Med. Jrnl., XII. 370. Wild Cicely, Cow weed, Cow parsley, Cow weed chervil.
1879. Lubbock, Sci. Lect., i. 21. The common Wild Chervil, Chærophyllum sylvestre [now Anthriscus].
