garlic

[gahr-lik]

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.

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

/ 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

Other Word Forms

• garlicked adjective
• garlicky adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of garlic¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of garlic¹

Old English gārlēac, from gār spear + lēac _leek

Example Sentences

Straight from my grandmother’s recipe card: melted butter, grainy Dijon, a dollop of mayo, a splash of Worcestershire, garlic and onion powders, a little brown sugar, and a shower of poppy seeds.

From Salon

There was also a gong for two US paediatricians who found that a mother eating garlic made her breastmilk smell of garlic too - something babies actually appeared to enjoy more.

From BBC

It arrived with more irreverence, roasted garlic for spreading before the tomato smear.

From Salon

Like, “Do I need a spreadsheet? A playlist? Two pounds of garlic?”

From Salon

It came with silky, creamy hummus, incredible toum — a garlic lover’s dream — and Yemeni flatbread, making for an unforgettable combination of flavors.

From Salon