sesame

American  

[ses-uh-mee] / ˈsɛs ə mi /

noun

1. a tropical, herbaceous plant, Sesamum indicum, whose small oval seeds are edible and yield an oil.

2. the seeds themselves, used to add flavor to bread, crackers, etc.

3. open sesame.

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sesame British  

/ ˈsɛsəmɪ /

noun

1. a tropical herbaceous plant, Sesamum indicum, of the East Indies, cultivated, esp in India, for its small oval seeds: family Pedaliaceae

2. the seeds of this plant, used in flavouring bread and yielding an edible oil ( benne oil or gingili )

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Etymology

Origin of sesame

1400–50; < Greek sēsámē sesame plant ≪ Akkadian shamashshammū, derived from shaman shammī plant oil; replacing sesam, late Middle English sysane < Latin sēsamum < Greek sḗsamon sesame seed

Explanation

If you pick a pod off a sesame plant and say “open sesame” like Ali Baba, you’ll get sesame seeds! People have been using sesame for its oil and seeds for over 3,000 years. That’s a lot of sesame bagels. Tiny sesame seeds are often used in baked goods, on sushi, to make oil, and in the Middle Eastern paste, tahini. The word itself is rooted in the Greek sesamon, "seed or fruit of the sesame plant." It's also been part of the well-known magical phrase, "open sesame" since Antoine Galland added it to the “One Thousand and One Nights.” in French: "Sésame, ouvre-toi!" Ali Baba uses it to open the forty thieves’ cave.

Example Sentences

Asking him to choose sides runs contrary to decades of Sesame Street lessons about kindness, friendship and inclusion.

From Salon • Jun. 7, 2026

Last week, the beloved Sesame Street character attempted what seemed like a harmless gesture of sportsmanship, posting support for both teams competing in the Finals.

From Salon • Jun. 7, 2026

"Elmo hopes both teams have fun!," said Elmo, whose fictional Sesame Street is located in Manhattan.

From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026

Elmo, the famous red puppet from Sesame Street, posted on X about the finals earlier this week.

From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026

The Muppets, then, were only seen with other Muppets, and the scenes filmed on Sesame Street itself involved only real adults and children.

From "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell