cilantro
Americannoun
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the strong-scented leaves of the coriander plant, used in salads or to flavor and garnish food.
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the coriander plant.
noun
Etymology
Origin of cilantro
1900–05; < Spanish, variant of culantro < Vulgar Latin, dissimilated form of Latin coriandrum coriander
Explanation
Cilantro is a strong, distinctive-smelling herb that's often used in Mexican and Indian cooking. While cilantro looks very similar to parsley, its flavor is much stronger. Cilantro is also known as coriander, as are its dried seeds. The fresh herb is often added to dishes just before serving, like Indian dal and Mexican guacamole, and mixed into Indian chutneys. Interestingly, people taste cilantro in completely different ways — cilantro lovers describe it as having a lemony flavor, while haters say it tastes like soap. Cilantro is a Spanish word, from the Latin coliandrum, "coriander."
Vocabulary lists containing cilantro
World Cuisine - Introductory
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World Cuisine - Middle School and High School
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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.
I’m reminded of a sign a chef friend of mine put up in his global kitchen as a warning to reckless young cooks: “There Is No Cilantro in Korean Food.”
From Washington Post • Nov. 3, 2022
Cilantro and lime lend freshness, while the peppers offer a much-appreciated kick.
From New York Times • Nov. 15, 2021
Cilantro is an essential herb in so many dishes such as Báhn mì, and especially in Mexican cuisine, too.
From Salon • Sep. 20, 2021
Cilantro is added for herbal freshness that feels punchier than parsley, and freshly shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano adds necessary fat and saltiness.
From Seattle Times • Oct. 22, 2019
Cilantro is the most common herb in Georgian cooking, but tarragon is the most talismanic, flavoring everything from stews to a carbonated drink that you can order at restaurants, like a Coke.
From The New Yorker • Apr. 22, 2019
Definitions 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.
