garlic

American  

[gahr-lik] / ˈgɑr lɪk /

noun

1. a hardy plant, Allium sativum, of the amaryllis family, whose strongly pungent bulb is used in cooking and medicine.

2. any of various plants of the genus Allium related to the familiar culinary garlic A. sativum.

3. the bulb of Allium sativum, consisting of smaller bulbs, or cloves, used in cooking, sometimes in the form of a powder, a paste, or minced pieces.

4. the flavor or smell of this bulb.

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adjective

1. cooked, flavored, or seasoned with garlic, the pungent bulb of the Allium sativum plant.

   garlic bread;

   garlic salt.

2. of or relating to garlic.

garlic British  

/ ˈɡɑːlɪk /

noun

1. a hardy widely cultivated Asian alliaceous plant, Allium sativum, having a stem bearing whitish flowers and bulbils

2. 1. the bulb of this plant, made up of small segments (cloves) that have a strong odour and pungent taste and are used in cooking

   2. ( as modifier )

      a garlic taste

3. any of various other plants of the genus Allium

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• garlicked
  adjective
• garlicky
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of garlic

First recorded before 1000; Middle English garlec, Old English gārlēac ( gar “spear”, cognate with German Ger, + lēac leek )

Example Sentences

Route 1, is known for an impressive list of cheeses, international wines chosen by an in-house sommelier and traditional Spanish dishes like bacon-wrapped chorizo-stuffed dates, garlic shrimp and three different paellas.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026

Combined with onion powder, garlic, dill and a carefully calibrated amount of salt, it creates something greater than the sum of its parts: a seasoning blend engineered to make almost anything taste more craveable.

From Salon • Jun. 2, 2026

Indonesians eat a hot sauce known as sambal made of chilli, garlic, shallots and aromatics with just about every meal.

From Barron's • Jun. 2, 2026

The vinegar cuts through richness while the garlic and dill add complexity without requiring extra work.

From Salon • May 28, 2026

Soon he was stirring a fragrant stew flavored with crow garlic and big, fleshy wood-mushrooms.

From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver