clove

¹

[klohv]

noun

1. the dried flower bud of a tropical tree, Syzygium aromaticum, of the myrtle family, used whole or ground as a spice.

2. the tree itself.

clove

²

[klohv]

noun

Botany.

1. one of the small bulbs formed in the axils of the scales of a mother bulb, as in garlic.

clove

³

[klohv]

verb

1. a simple past tense of cleave.

clove

⁴

[klohv]

noun

1. a British unit of weight for wool, cheese, etc., usually equivalent to 8 pounds (3.6 kilograms).

clove

¹

/ kləʊv /

noun

1. a tropical evergreen myrtaceous tree, Syzygium aromaticum , native to the East Indies but cultivated elsewhere, esp Zanzibar

2. the dried unopened flower buds of this tree, used as a pungent fragrant spice

clove

²

/ kləʊv /

noun

1. any of the segments of a compound bulb that arise from the axils of the scales of a large bulb

clove

³

/ kləʊv /

verb

1. a past tense of cleave 1

Word History and Origins

Origin of clove¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English clow(e), clo(ve), clawe (short for clow-gilofre from Old French clo, clou, clau (de gilofre, girofle), literally “nail of the gillyflower”; clou, gillyflower

Origin of clove²

First recorded before 1000; Middle English clove, clof, clowe, Old English clufe (plural) “ears of grain, cloves of garlic”; (cognate with Middle Dutch clōve, Dutch kloof ); akin to cleave ²

Origin of clove³

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English claue, clou from Anglo-French clove, earlier clou, equivalent to Anglo-Latin clāvus “nail” (also used as a unit of linear measure), from Latin clāvus; clove ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of clove¹

C14: from Old French clou de girofle, literally: nail of clove, clou from Latin clāvus nail + girofle clove tree

Origin of clove²

Old English clufu bulb; related to Old High German klovolouh garlic; see _cleave ¹

Example Sentences

Great British Chefs specified that tonka’s “most distinctive feature” is their “enormous potency — heady vanilla flavours, with oily clove aromas, and perfumed magnolia, sandalwood notes.”

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A sly nod the raw cloves rubbed on toast by the Catalan herdsmen who stake claim to the dish’s origins.

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The eels are sedated using clove oil so that Dr Evans and his PhD student group can easily measure them.

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Return to pot and season: Add the brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, miso, lemon juice and a pinch of salt.

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The table is full again — spinach-and-ricotta stuffed shells, scungilli with 18 cloves of garlic, cassatas — but this time, it’s sympathy food.

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Related Words

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• crack 
• cut 
• difference 
• disagreement 
• disparity 
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• rift 
• void