garlic

[gahr-lik]

noun

a hardy plant, Allium sativum, of the amaryllis family whose strongly, pungent bulb is used in cookery and medicine.

any of various other plants of the genus Allium.

the bulb of such a plant, consisting of smaller bulbs, or cloves, used in cooking, sometimes in the form of a powder or flakes.

the flavor or smell of this bulb.

adjective

cooked, flavored, or seasoned with garlic: garlic bread; garlic salt.

of or relating to garlic.

Origin of garlic

before 1000; Middle English garlec, Old English gārlēac (gar spear (cognate with German Ger) + lēac leek)

Related formsgar·licked, gar·lick·y, adjective

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

Examples from the Web for garlic

Contemporary Examples of garlic

Add olive oil to the pan and toss in the garlic and chili flake.
Make Carla Hall’s Roasted Pork Loin With Cranberries
Carla Hall
December 24, 2014
Rub pork loin with paprika, Cajun seasoning, parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, sugar, salt, and pepper.
Epic Meal Empire’s Meat Monstrosities: From the Bacon Spider to the Cinnabattleship
Harley Morenstein
July 26, 2014
In a mixing bowl, combine beef, onion powder, garlic powder, bread crumbs, and eggs.
Epic Meal Empire’s Meat Monstrosities: From the Bacon Spider to the Cinnabattleship
Harley Morenstein
July 26, 2014
Marinate flank steak in garlic, Italian seasoning, paprika, oil, salt and pepper.
Epic Meal Empire’s Meat Monstrosities: From the Bacon Spider to the Cinnabattleship
Harley Morenstein
July 26, 2014
All of the Italians I knew sliced their garlic with highly illicit razors, a nod to the prison scene in ‘Goodfellas.’
Tales of a Jailhouse Gourmet: How I learned to Cook in Prison
Daniel Genis
June 21, 2014

Historical Examples of garlic

Pass through a sieve, add a clove of garlic with a cut in it, and boil.
The Cook's Decameron: A Study in Taste:
Mrs. W. G. Waters
A clove of garlic with one cut may be added for five minutes.
The Cook's Decameron: A Study in Taste:
Mrs. W. G. Waters
This was to roast beetroot on hot embers for the removal of the odour of garlic.
Storyology
Benjamin Taylor
It is said that in India, where dyspepsia is common, garlic is found to be a great palliative.
Storyology
Benjamin Taylor
It is frequently put with other plants to give a flavor of garlic to the dish.
The Mushroom, Edible and Otherwise
M. E. Hard

British Dictionary definitions for garlic

garlic

noun

a hardy widely cultivated Asian alliaceous plant, Allium sativum, having a stem bearing whitish flowers and bulbils

the bulb of this plant, made up of small segments (cloves) that have a strong odour and pungent taste and are used in cooking
(as modifier)a garlic taste

any of various other plants of the genus Allium

Word Origin for garlic

Old English gārlēac, from gār spear + lēac leek

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 garlic

Old English garleac (Mercian), garlec (W. Saxon) "garlic," from gar "spear" (in reference to the clove), see gar + leac "leek" (see leek).