cumin
/ˈkʌmɪn
/ /ˈk(j)uːmɪn/(also cummin)
noun [mass noun]
1The aromatic seeds of a plant of the parsley family, used as a spice, especially ground and used in curry powder: add a pinch of cumin...
- To make the curry powder, combine the ground coriander, cumin, fenugreek, pepper, ginger, paprika and turmeric and mix well.
- The salted version often contains spices such as roasted cumin seeds or black pepper.
- Stuff with couscous mixed with orange juice, paprika, cayenne, cumin, garlic, parsley, diced prunes and pinenuts.
2The small, slender plant which bears cumin seeds, occurring from the Mediterranean to central Asia.
- Cuminum cyminum, family Umbelliferae.
- Harvest herbs grown for seeds - dill, caraway, coriander, and cumin, for example - as the fruits change color from green to brown or gray but before they scatter to the ground.
Origin
Old English cymen, from Latin cuminum, from Greek kuminon, probably of Semitic origin and related to Hebrew kammōn and Arabic kammūn; superseded in Middle English by forms from Old French cumon, comin, also from Latin.