cilantro

[si-lahn-troh, -lan-]

noun

the strong-scented leaves of the coriander plant, used in salads or to flavor and garnish food.

the coriander plant.

Origin of cilantro

1900–05; < Spanish, variant of culantro < Vulgar Latin, dissimilated form of Latin coriandrum coriander

Also called Chinese parsley.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for cilantro

Contemporary Examples of cilantro

He knew all about cilantro and the best facial cleanses, but in bed and on the kitchen table he was all about the ladies.
How Straight World Stole ‘Gay’: The Last Gasp of the ‘Lumbersexual’
Tim Teeman
November 12, 2014
Plastic cutlery arrived, followed by a container of chopped onion and cilantro.
A Culinary Tour to Answer the Age-Old Question: Why Is Mexican Food So Good?
Condé Nast Traveler
November 5, 2013
To assemble taco place escabeche, fish and tartar sauce in a tortilla and garnish with cilantro and lime.
Cinco de Mayo Recipes: Tacos for One and All
May 4, 2012
The Tanqueray Rangpur gin gives a wonderful exotic aroma, and cilantro and the Thai Chang Beer finish the cocktail.
Film-Inspired Cocktails: The Hangover II
Brody Brown
May 26, 2011
Mix the beets with the pomegranate seeds, cilantro and the sauce.
An Israeli Independence Day Menu
Naama Shefi
May 10, 2011

British Dictionary definitions for cilantro

cilantro

noun

US and Canadian a European umbelliferous plant, Coriandrum sativum, widely cultivated for its aromatic seeds and leaves, used in flavouring food, etcAlso called (in Britain and certain other countries): coriander

Word Origin for cilantro

C20: Spanish

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for cilantro

by 1907, from Spanish cilantro, variant of culantro, from Latin coriandrum "coriander" (see coriander).