quinoa

noun

qui·​noa ˈkēn-ˌwä 

kē-ˈnō-ə

: an annual herb (Chenopodium quinoa) of the amaranth family that is native to the Andean highlands and is cultivated for its starchy seeds which are used as food and ground into flour

also : its seeds

Examples of quinoa in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

And one of León’s favorites is his pear and quinoa salad starter, served with walnuts, cranberries and lemon vinaigrette. —Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 9 Dec. 2025

For example, 1 cup of quinoa contains about 22 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber compared to 1 cup of couscous, which has only about 6 grams and 2 grams, respectively. —Sara Moniuszko, USA Today, 8 Dec. 2025

Bases include arugula, kale, spinach, spring mix, herbed quinoa, white or wild rice. —Susan Selasky, Freep.com, 8 Dec. 2025

One study compared people with high blood sugar who ate 100 grams of quinoa, white rice, and brown rice daily for one year. —Jillian Kubala, Health, 8 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, from Quechua kinua

First Known Use

1625, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for quinoa

• boa
• noa
• noah
• shoah
• toa
• bryozoa
• metazoa
• polyzoa
• protozoa
• spermatozoa

Kids Definition

quinoa

noun

qui·​noa ki-ˈnō-ə 

: a goosefoot that occurs in the Andes and has starchy seeds that are used as food and ground into flour

also : its seeds