cinnamon

American  

[sin-uh-muhn] / ˈsɪn ə mən /

noun

1. the aromatic inner bark of any of several East Indian trees belonging to the genus Cinnamonum, of the laurel family, especially the bark of C. zeylanicum Ceylon cinnamon, used as a spice, or that of C. loureirii Saigon cinnamon, used in medicine as a cordial and carminative.

2. a tree yielding such bark.

3. any allied or similar tree.

4. a common culinary spice of dried rolled strips of this bark, often made into a powder.

5. cassia.

6. a yellowish or reddish brown.

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adjective

1. (of food) containing or flavored with cinnamon.

2. reddish-brown or yellowish-brown.

cinnamon British  

/ ˈsɪnəmən, ˌsɪnəˈmɒnɪk /

noun

1. a tropical Asian lauraceous tree, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, having aromatic yellowish-brown bark

2. the spice obtained from the bark of this tree, used for flavouring food and drink

3. an E Asian lauraceous tree, Cinnamomum loureirii, the bark of which is used as a cordial and to relieve flatulence

4. any of several similar or related trees or their bark See cassia

5. 1. a light yellowish brown

   2. (as modifier)

      a cinnamon coat

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Other Word Forms

• cinnamic adjective
• cinnamoned adjective
• cinnamonic adjective

Etymology

Origin of cinnamon

1400–50; < Latin < Late Greek kínnamon < Semitic (compare Hebrew qinnāmōn ); replacing late Middle English cinamome < Middle French < Latin cinnamōmum < Greek kinnámōmon < Semitic as above

Example Sentences

I have a soft spot for the cinnamon coffee cake from Starbucks — or rather, for what I remember it being like when I was 12.

From Salon

At Sainsbury's the range is similarly extensive with orange marmalade, salted caramel, carrot, cherry, rhubarb, ginger and cinnamon.

From BBC

Unlike many of Amazon’s rural hubs, the Missoula facility also keeps hundreds of items in stock for same-day delivery, such as diapers, dog food and cinnamon roll-flavored protein bread rolls.

From The Wall Street Journal

Meanwhile, the cinnamon roll chain offered a pair of roses: First, it launched Swirled Soda on Mar. 9, inspired by the viral “dirty soda” trend popularized by the Hulu hit.

From Salon

Then warmth: a drop of vanilla, a whisper of cinnamon, a dusting of cardamom or ginger.

From Salon