quinoa

[ keen-wah, kee-noh-uh ]

/ ˈkin wɑ, kiˈnoʊ ə /

noun

a tall crop plant, Chenopodium quinoa, of the amaranth family, cultivated mainly in Peru, Bolivia, and Chile for its small, ivory-colored seed, which is used as a food staple.

Nearby words

Also quinua.

Origin of quinoa

1615–25; < Spanish < Quechua kinua, kinoa

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

Examples from the Web for quinoa

Look for:Try to purchase pastas made from whole grains like quinoa or brown rice to add back some of that iron and fiber.
How to Buy Gluten-Free Without Getting Duped|DailyBurn|April 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The personal chef of Diane von Furstenberg shares three delicious and colorful recipes for quinoa.
Three Quinoa Recipes for Your Weekend Parties|Jane Coxwell|May 26, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Quinoa risotto I love risotto, but rarely eat it because I always feel so heavy and slow afterward.
Three Quinoa Recipes for Your Weekend Parties|Jane Coxwell|May 26, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Add the quinoa to the glass bowl, season with salt and pepper, and add the lemon juice.
Three Quinoa Recipes for Your Weekend Parties|Jane Coxwell|May 26, 2013|DAILY BEAST

While the lobster is still warm, add it to the quinoa, gently breaking up the lobster meat into manageable-size pieces.
Three Quinoa Recipes for Your Weekend Parties|Jane Coxwell|May 26, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Previous to the discovery of America, “quinoa” was an article of food, supplying the place of wheat.
Popular Adventure Tales|Mayne Reid
The Indians of Cochinoca and Susques sow lucerne and barley for fodder, and the quinoa and potato for food.
The Argentine Republic|Pierre Denis
Since this list was printed, I have been informed that the quinoa is wild in Chili.
Origin of Cultivated Plants|Alphonse De Candolle
Other varieties of quinoa are bitter and have to be boiled several times, the water being frequently changed.
Inca Land|Hiram Bingham
Quinoa is grown in large quantities, and is a staple article of food among the natives.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Slice 2|Various

British Dictionary definitions for quinoa

quinoa

/ (ˈkiːnəʊə, kwɪˈnəʊə) /

noun

a grain high in nutrients traditionally grown as a staple food high in the Andes

Word Origin for quinoa

Spanish

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 quinoa

quinoa

1620s, from Spanish spelling of Quechua kinua.