sesame

[ses-uh-mee]

noun

1. a tropical, herbaceous plant, Sesamum indicum, whose small oval seeds are edible and yield an oil.

2. the seeds themselves, used to add flavor to bread, crackers, etc.

3. open sesame.

sesame

/ ˈsɛsəmɪ /

noun

1. a tropical herbaceous plant, Sesamum indicum, of the East Indies, cultivated, esp in India, for its small oval seeds: family Pedaliaceae

2. the seeds of this plant, used in flavouring bread and yielding an edible oil ( benne oil or gingili )

Word History and Origins

Origin of sesame¹

1400–50; < Greek sēsámē sesame plant ≪ Akkadian shamashshammū, derived from shaman shammī plant oil; replacing sesam, late Middle English sysane < Latin sēsamum < Greek sḗsamon sesame seed

Word History and Origins

Origin of sesame¹

C15: from Latin sēsamum, from Greek sēsamon, sēsamē, of Semitic origin; related to Arabic simsim

Example Sentences

These are basically peanut-butter cookies to which she adds toasted sesame seeds and, instead of salt, red miso for both salinity and a touch of umami.

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There is only so much trivia and name-that-tune you can play, only so many times you can eat that salad with chicken and sesame dressing or the station du jour at the buffet.

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Or take a bright yuzu marmalade: pair it with black sesame seeds, flaked coconut, a drizzle of coconut cream, a swirl of tahini, and a scatter of lime zest.

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Everything bagel seasoning on top makes the whole thing slightly addictive: a crunch of sesame, poppy and salt that hits first, then the creamy tang of goat cheese and the sweet-savory onion jam.

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We started with a refreshing cucumber salad dressed in chili and sesame oil, then moved on to Kurobuta pork soup dumplings, shrimp and Kurobuta pork spicy wontons and more — each bite expertly balanced and juicy.

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