garlic

American  

[gahr-lik] / ˈgɑr lɪk /

noun

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

2. any of various plants of the genus Allium related to the familiar culinary garlic A. sativum.

3. the bulb of Allium sativum, consisting of smaller bulbs, or cloves, used in cooking, sometimes in the form of a powder, a paste, or minced pieces.

4. the flavor or smell of this bulb.

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adjective

1. cooked, flavored, or seasoned with garlic, the pungent bulb of the Allium sativum plant.

   garlic bread;

   garlic salt.

2. of or relating to garlic.

garlic British  

/ ˈɡɑːlɪk /

noun

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

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

   2. ( as modifier )

      a garlic taste

3. any of various other plants of the genus Allium

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Other Word Forms

• garlicked adjective
• garlicky adjective

Etymology

Origin of garlic

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

Example Sentences

Back home, after the train ride, I washed and dried the mushrooms and sent them sizzling into a pan with shallots, garlic, salt, pepper and an indecent amount of smoked paprika.

From Salon

It’s the reason meal kits feel so soothing — everything ready, nothing frantic, no mid-recipe scavenger hunt for a missing clove of garlic.

From Salon

Think onions and garlic for aroma, black pepper for a gentle bite, and the kind of golden edges that promise a satisfying crust.

From Salon

Andouille sausage and the marinated chicken are cooked in a separate pot before adding in the onions, peppers, celery, garlic and homemade roux.

From Salon

On Wednesday, they served a mussel dish with garlic confit and serrano chili developed by his breakfast sous chef.

From The Wall Street Journal