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tahini

American  
[tuh-hee-nee, tah-] / təˈhi ni, tɑ- /

noun

Middle Eastern Cooking.
  1. a paste made of ground sesame seeds.


tahini British  
/ təˈhiːnɪ, təˈhiːnə /

noun

  1. a paste made from sesame seeds originating in the Middle East, often used as an ingredient of hummus and other dips

"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

Etymology

Origin of tahini

First recorded in 1895–1900; Levantine Arabic ṭaḥīni (standard Arabic ṭaḥīna ), derivative of ṭaḥana “to crush, grind”; compare Hebrew tākhan “to crush, grind”

Vocabulary lists containing tahini

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:

"We have ham, pickled garlic, tahini, and stinky tofu and liquor. Just below my office is a shop whose speciality is vodka, foie gras and apple in one scoop," says Yan.

From BBC Aug. 14, 2026

Before you leave, order a coffee — flavors like rose water, pistachio, and orange blossom tahini offer a refreshing finish to the meal.

From Salon Jun. 11, 2026

But is that really a better deal than a $13 bowl of fresh greens, whole-grain rice, grilled chicken, tahini and pickled cabbage?

From The Wall Street Journal Nov. 30, 2025

“They take flour, sugar, oil, tahini, and then they go and sell them to the starving people at astronomical prices!” he later wrote on Facebook.

From The Wall Street Journal Oct. 18, 2025

Also included is cooking oil, salt and tahini, or sesame paste.

From BBC Jul. 25, 2025

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