ghee
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of ghee
First recorded in 1655–65, ghee is from the Hindi word ghī
Explanation
Ghee is butter that's been melted and allowed to separate, leaving just the clear butterfat. If you've ever dined on Indian food, you've probably eaten ghee. When butter is clarified, it's simmered until any water evaporates and all the extra solid particles of milk sink to the bottom or float on top. Once these are skimmed off, what's left behind is ghee. In South Asian cuisines, ghee is a common fat used in many dishes. It also holds an important place in some Hindu rituals, as cows, and products made from their milk, are considered sacred.
Vocabulary lists containing ghee
South Asia - Introductory
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South Asia - Middle School and High School
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Selection Vocabulary 3, Unit 5
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The first is garlic-infused ghee, which she keeps in multiple bottles throughout her kitchen as its a reliable pick-me-up for anything from vegetables to fish fillets.
From Salon ● Jan. 5, 2026
“It was like ghee, ghee, ghee,” Smith said struggling to duplicate the sound.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2025
Naidu said he had changed the ghee supplier and formed a special investigation team led by a senior police officer to address the issue.
From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2024
I love the sizzle of the hot, spiced ghee when it is poured into the lentils, the way that dal envelops a bowl of rice like a hug.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 8, 2024
At one shop pilaus were being sold, mounds of saffron rice on buttered plantain leaves, glistening with ghee and garnished with red chillies and curling strips of fried onion.
From "Nectar in a Sieve" by Kamala Markandaya
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
