marjoram

American

[mahr-jer-uhm] / ˈmɑr dʒər əm /

noun

any of several aromatic herbs belonging to the genus Origanum, of the mint family, especially O. majorana sweet marjoram, having leaves used as seasoning in cooking.

marjoram British

/ ˈmɑːdʒərəm /

noun

Also called: sweet marjoram. an aromatic Mediterranean plant, Origanum (or Marjorana ) hortensis, with small pale purple flowers and sweet-scented leaves, used for seasoning food and in salads: family Lamiaceae (labiates)
Also called: wild marjoram, pot marjoram, origan. a similar and related European plant, Origanum vulgare See also oregano origanum

"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

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

marjorams

plural

Etymology

Origin of marjoram

1350–1400; Middle English majorane < Medieval Latin majorana, variant of majoraca, alteration of Latin amāracus < Greek amā́rakos marjoram

Compare meaning

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

marjoram vs. oregano

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

marjoram marjorams

It’s time to spotlight herbs with a quieter footprint: tarragon, marjoram, shiso and chervil.

From Salon ● Apr. 3, 2025

Make the easiest herb dip ever by mixing ½ cup mayonnaise, ½ cup sour cream and ½ cup chopped mixed fresh herbs like basil, oregano, thyme, marjoram, chervil and parsley.

From Washington Times ● Nov. 30, 2023

He said smaller leaf herbs don’t do as well and these are things such as thyme, oregano, savory and marjoram.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 25, 2023

Fragrant with marjoram and parsley, it put a point on the ÖBB scoreboard.

From New York Times ● Apr. 6, 2023

He loaded me down with three pots of sweet marjoram, which he said everyone needs in his or her garden.

From "Okay for Now" by Gary D. Schmidt

Under a hawthorn, ruby-gemmed in May, A bank of marjorams lie at their ease; Here, lad's-love sigh their fragrant hearts away, Whilst rippling lieds of water never cease.

From The Dales of Arcady by Dorothy Una Ratcliffe

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023