sesame

American  

[ses-uh-mee] / ˈsɛs ə mi /

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.

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sesame British  

/ 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 )

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Etymology

Origin of sesame

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

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Explanation

If you pick a pod off a sesame plant and say “open sesame” like Ali Baba, you’ll get sesame seeds! People have been using sesame for its oil and seeds for over 3,000 years. That’s a lot of sesame bagels. Tiny sesame seeds are often used in baked goods, on sushi, to make oil, and in the Middle Eastern paste, tahini. The word itself is rooted in the Greek sesamon, "seed or fruit of the sesame plant." It's also been part of the well-known magical phrase, "open sesame" since Antoine Galland added it to the “One Thousand and One Nights.” in French: "Sésame, ouvre-toi!" Ali Baba uses it to open the forty thieves’ cave.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sesame

One favorite is a sesame-scented chicken salad made with Kewpie mayonnaise, plenty of scallions and a little sesame oil.

From Salon ● Nov. 5, 2026

I steamed frozen corn and edamame, and tossed a generous pile of shredded red cabbage with sesame oil.

From Salon ● Nov. 5, 2026

The removal of sesame flour appears to address growing sesame allergies, although the company did not explain its rationale for the change.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026

She didn’t get the noodles, scallions or soy sauce for “cold sesame noodles.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026

No one has offered to share what I smell: sardines, dried durian, salted eggs, toasted sesame.

From "Inside Out and Back Again" by Thanhha Lai

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