cumin

American  

[kuhm-uhn, koom-, koo-muhn, kyoo-] / ˈkʌm ən, ˈkʊm-, ˈku mən, ˈkju- /

noun

• cumins
  plural

1. a small plant, Cuminum cyminum, of the parsley family, bearing aromatic, seedlike fruit, used in cooking and medicine.

2. the aromatic fruit or seeds of Cuminum cyminum.

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cumin British  

/ ˈkʌmɪn /

noun

1. an umbelliferous Mediterranean plant, Cuminum cyminum, with finely divided leaves and small white or pink flowers

2. the aromatic seeds (collectively) of this plant, used as a condiment and a flavouring

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• cumins
  plural

Etymology

Origin of cumin

First recorded before 900; Middle English comyn, cumin (from Old French comin ) from Latin cumīnum, from Greek kýmīnon, from Semitic (compare Arabic kammūn, Hebrew kammōn cumin); replacing Old English cymen from Latin, as above

Compare meaning

How does cumin compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• black cumin vs. cumin

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cumin

In the markets of old Dubai, saffron, cumin, pistachios and almonds from Iran still fill the stalls, as if the two shores of the Gulf were not separated by war.

From Barron's ● Sep. 13, 2026

He used to make spaghetti Bolognese with cumin and coriander in it, so Western and Italian cuisine with Indian influences is comforting to me.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026

That time has largely passed, but he still recommends bulking up flavors with celery seed, anise and cumin, all of which naturally contain sodium.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026

Don’t be afraid of any crackling; cumin seeds should sizzle when fried.

From Salon ● Jun. 7, 2026

I knew the names of all the spices on Mama’s spice rack before I could read: salt, paprika, turmeric, cumin, coriander, mint.

From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan