mustard
Americannoun
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mustards
plural
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a pungent powder or paste prepared from the seeds of certain mustard plants, used as a food seasoning or condiment, and medicinally in plasters, poultices, etc.
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Botany. any of various cruciferous plants of the mustard family, noted for their acrid and pungent qualities and widely cultivated for culinary and agricultural purposes: among the most commercially important mustards are black mustard, brown mustard, and white mustard.
idioms
noun
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any of several Eurasian plants of the genus Brassica, esp black mustard and white mustard, having yellow or white flowers and slender pods and cultivated for their pungent seeds: family Brassicaceae (crucifers) See also charlock
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a paste made from the powdered seeds of any of these plants and used as a condiment
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a brownish-yellow colour
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( as adjective )
a mustard carpet
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slang zest or enthusiasm
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slang to come up to expectations
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of mustard
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English mostard(e), mustart, from Old French mostarde, moustarde, a relish originally made of mustard seed and must, equivalent to moust + -arde; see origin at must 2, -ard
Explanation
Mustard is the yellow sauce people commonly use to spice up their hotdogs. Whether it's ballpark mustard or fancy Grey Poupon, it's a condiment made from the ground seeds of the mustard plant. Mustard comes in several different forms, including the bright yellow kind in a packet at your favorite fast food restaurant and the brownish, slightly coarse mustard that comes in a fancy jar labeled "Dijon." All of these mustards are made from mustard seeds and spices, often mixed with lemon juice and salt. The plant that grows these seeds also produces edible leaves called "mustard greens."
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:
Driving up along the Santa Clara river, past invasive mustard grass, three giant tan rocks of glommed-together pebbles and stones tower above the rugged hills.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2026
At the new Cole’s there will be French dips, cocktails and the return of the atomic mustard, albeit with a slightly tweaked recipe.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026
Put it beside a paper cup of mustard and you can eat it on the way to work.
From Salon ● Sep. 7, 2026
A famous mustard brand synonymous with Norwich has been put up for sale.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
I squint into the light, holding back a gasp as I take in the majestic onion-shaped domes and mustard and terra-cotta walls that connect four minarets, each topped with bright tiles.
From "Amina's Song" by Hena Khan
The space and financial investment required is minor: in the study, the gardening took place in regular flower boxes, while the plants cultivated, such as peas, beans, mustards and salads, came from the shop shelf.
From Science Daily ● May 23, 2024
If you've got lemons, garlic, fresh herbs, butter, honey and an interesting mix of oils, vinegars, mustards and the like, you've got the building blocks of limitless dishes.
From Salon ● Oct. 21, 2023
There are numerous kinds of wild mustards in California, but black mustard or Brassica nigra is considered among the most pervasive.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 15, 2023
You might find brown or Dijon mustards made in stone ground varieties.
From Washington Times ● Jun. 2, 2023
That evening the women brought bowls of pot liquor from black-eyed peas, from mustards, from cabbage, from kale, from collards, from turnips, from beets, from green beans.
From "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
