fenugreek

American  

[fen-yoo-greek, fen-oo-] / ˈfɛn yʊˌgrik, ˈfɛn ʊ- /

noun

1. a plant, Trigonella foenum-graecum, of the legume family, indigenous to western Asia, but extensively cultivated elsewhere, chiefly for forage and for its mucilaginous seeds, which are used in medicine.

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fenugreek British  

/ ˈfɛnjʊˌɡriːk /

noun

1. an annual heavily scented Mediterranean leguminous plant, Trigonella foenum-graecum , with hairy stems and white flowers: cultivated for forage and for its medicinal seeds

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Etymology

Origin of fenugreek

First recorded before 1000; Middle English fenugrek, Old English fēnogrēcum, from Latin fēnum Graecum literally, “Greek hay”; see fennel

Example Sentences

Fenugreek seeds, which taste a bit like burnt sugar, are sometimes used as a spice in cooking.

From Washington Post • Jul. 22, 2011

Fenugreek is a good nitrogen gatherer and is desirable for green manuring wherever you can get a good growth of the plant.

From One Thousand Questions in California Agriculture Answered by Wickson, Edward J. (Edward James)

Fenugreek, fen′ū-grēk, n. a genus of leguminous plants, allied to clover and melilot.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M) by Various

Fenugreek has been recommended to be as a nitrogen-gathering plant, but I cannot find information as to the amount of nitrogen it gathers in its roots and tops, nor the amount of crop per acre.

From One Thousand Questions in California Agriculture Answered by Wickson, Edward J. (Edward James)

Fenugreek is indigenous to south-eastern Europe and western Asia, and is cultivated in the Mediterranean region, parts of central Europe, and in Morocco, and largely in Egypt and in India.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 3 "Fenton, Edward" to "Finistere" by Various