couscous

[koos-koos]

noun

1. a North African dish consisting of steamed semolina, typically served with vegetables and meat.

2. semolina in the form of tiny pellets or balls, produced by any of various methods and used in a number of different cuisines and dishes.

3. Israeli couscous.

couscous

/ ˈkuːskuːs /

noun

1. a type of semolina originating from North Africa, consisting of granules of crushed durum wheat

2. a spicy North African dish consisting of steamed semolina with meat, vegetables, or fruit C17: via French from Arabic kouskous, from kaskasa to pound until fine

Word History and Origins

Origin of couscous¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; from French, from Arabic kuskus, kuskusū, from Berber seksu