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.

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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

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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

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

Pair your drink with the cardamom spice loaf, a warmly spiced treat that makes an ideal afternoon pick-me-up.

From Salon ● Jun. 11, 2026

The earthy fragrance of cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and cumin.

From Salon ● Jun. 7, 2026

The smell of cardamom lingers in the apartment, and I know my mother's already up.

From "The Sky at Our Feet" by Nadia Hashimi

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

They carried nothing on their persons except a little food—a few broken chupatis, a handful of coarse grain, an onion or two, and a few cardamoms tied up in a bit of cloth.

From The Elephant God by Gordon Casserly

The principal products are rice, cocoanuts, timber, cardamoms, pepper and a little coffee.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 5 "Clervaux" to "Cockade" by Various

Elettaria cardamomum.—This plant furnishes the fruits known as the Small or Malabar cardamoms of commerce.

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

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