cardamom

American  

[kahr-duh-muhm] / ˈkɑr də məm /

Also cardamon

noun

• cardamoms
  plural

1. the aromatic seed capsules of a tropical Asian plant, Elettaria cardamomum, of the ginger family, used as a spice or condiment and in medicine.

2. the plant itself.

3. a related plant, Amomum compactum, or its seeds, used as a substitute for true cardamom.

---

cardamom British  

/ ˈkɑːdəməm, ˈkɑːdəmən /

noun

1. a tropical Asian zingiberaceous plant, Elettaria cardamomum, that has large hairy leaves

2. the seeds of this plant, used esp as a spice or condiment

3. a related East Indian plant, Amomum cardamomum, whose seeds are used as a substitute for cardamom seeds

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• cardamoms
  plural

Etymology

Origin of cardamom

1350–1400; Middle English (< Middle French ) < Latin cardamōmum < Greek kardámōnon, blend of kárdamon cress and ámōmon a spice plant

Explanation

Cardamom is a strong-flavored spice that comes from the seeds of a plant. Authentic chai tea is flavored with many spices, including cardamom. When the seed pod of a cardamom plant is dried and ground, the resulting spice smells smoky and distinctive. Since cardamom is native to India and other parts of South Asia, it's a common flavoring in many Indian dishes. It also happens to be one of the most expensive spices in the world, along with saffron and vanilla. The word has a Greek root, kardamomon, combining kardamon, "cress," and amomon, "spice plant."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cardamom cardamoms

She recommends fragrances such as sandalwood, cedarwood, cinnamon and cardamom as they "are perfect for bringing a sense of comfort into the home".

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

Mixing in a few cardamom pods with ground coffee in your French press or drip machine is another sugar substitute for your morning brew.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026

Announced last week in a post on Instagram, the drink was described as a “clarified tonic” with coconut water, jasmine tea, raw honey, holy basil, anise hyssop, green cardamom, white grape juice and coconut milk.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 11, 2026

Born in June 1943 in Pannaipuram, Tamil Nadu, as R Gnanathesikan, Ilaiyaraaja was raised on the folk songs and ballads sung by his father, a cardamom estate supervisor.

From BBC ● Jun. 6, 2026

Between us was a cart with a dozen mounds of cinnamon, cardamom, and so on and so on, you get the idea.

From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri

For Emperor Hsuan-te's Dragon Soup Bowl, craftsmen ground rubies to powder to achieve richness of color; court ladies dipped their fingers into exquisite candy dishes for the cardamoms and nutmegs that served as breath sweeteners.

From Time Magazine Archive

Then we have all the various spices—cinnamon, which is the bark on the twigs of the cinnamon-tree; pepper, carried into Europe by Alexander; ginger, and cardamoms.

From From Pole to Pole A Book for Young People by Sven Anders Hedin

The seeds are aromatic and stimulating, and form, with other seeds of similar plants, what are known as cardamoms.

From Catalogue of Economic Plants in the Collection of the U. S. Department of Agriculture by William Saunders

The land is every where extremely fertile, producing vast abundance of pepper, ginger, cinnamon, rice, cardamoms, and other valuable articles.

From A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Volume 11 Arranged in Systematic Order: Forming a Complete History of the Origin and Progress of Navigation, Discovery, and Commerce, by Sea and Land, from the Earliest Ages to the Present Time by Robert Kerr

The pods are large and long, and dark colored, approaching to black, the taste nauseous and disagreeable, not the least resembling that of the Malabar cardamoms.

From The Commercial Products of the Vegetable Kingdom Considered in Their Various Uses to Man and in Their Relation to the Arts and Manufactures; Forming a Practical Treatise & Handbook of Reference for the Colonist, Manufacturer, Merchant, and Consumer, on the Cultivation, Preparation for Shipment, and Commercial Value, &c. of the Various Substances Obtained From Trees and Plants, Entering into the Husbandry of Tropical and Sub-tropical Regions, &c. by P. L. Simmonds