coriander
Americannoun
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Also called cilantro. Also called Chinese parsley. an herb, Coriandrum sativum, of the parsley family, native to Europe, having strong-scented leaves used in cooking and aromatic seeds used as a seasoning and in medicine.
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the seeds of this plant.
noun
Etymology
Origin of coriander
1350–1400; Middle English coriandre < Latin coriandrum < Greek koríandron, variant of koríannon
Explanation
Coriander is a plant that's used as flavoring in cooking. Both the leaves and seeds of coriander show up in Indian, Mexican, and Thai recipes, among others. The bright green leaves of coriander are also called "cilantro" in North America, and they're an ingredient in many regional dishes, often appearing as a garnish on both curries and guacamole. Coriander seeds are ground into a spice with a lemony, slightly spicy flavor that's found in many Indian dishes. Coriander has a Greek root, koriannon, which some botanists suspect is related to koris, "bedbug," because of the unripe plant's unpleasant smell.
Vocabulary lists containing coriander
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.
Ms Hudson, of Coriander Close, Blackpool, denies ill-treating four patients and stealing Mebeverine, a medicine.
From BBC • Sep. 6, 2023
Coriander seeds carry a bright and floral flavor with notes of citrus, curry, and pepper.
From Salon • Apr. 2, 2023
"Coriander is now 17.8 yuan per half kilo, it really is more expensive than pork!" wrote one user in the eastern province of Anhui.
From Reuters • Oct. 27, 2021
Coriander seeds have a much more mellow flavor than the fresh leaves of the plant, a.k.a. cilantro.
From Washington Post • Oct. 1, 2021
Coriander comfits, sold by the confectioner as admirably warming to the stomach, and corrective of flatulence, consist of small aromatic seeds coated with white sugar.
From Herbal Simples Approved for Modern Uses of Cure by Fernie, William Thomas
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.