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.
Some nights I lean toward spice, blooming coriander, cumin, turmeric and red pepper flakes alongside frozen ginger and garlic cubes.
From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2026
It’s a spice mix made of cumin, coriander, black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and turmeric.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026
Anise, coriander and other flavorings lent a subtle complexity to the “special soy sauce” set out on the tables.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 26, 2025
One popular filling is Reina Pepiada, which combines chicken, avocado and coriander.
From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2025
As soon as they were seated my mother appeared from the kitchen with a plate of mincemeat kebabs with coriander chutney.
From "Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri
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.
