cinnamon

noun

cin·​na·​mon ˈsi-nə-mən How to pronounce cinnamon (audio)
often attributive
1
a
: the aromatic, dried bark of any of several tropical trees (genus Cinnamomum) yielding a culinary spice, oil, and flavoring
especially : a small roll or quill of cinnamon bark
b
: the tan to dark brown spice that is prepared from cinnamon bark by powdering and has a somewhat sweet and spicy taste

Note: Ceylon cinnamon comes from a tree (Cinnamomum verum) of Sri Lanka and southern India and is usually considered to be true cinnamon. Chinese cinnamon, Indonesian cinnamon, and Saigon cinnamon come from several related trees and typically comprise most of the less expensive cinnamon spice sold in stores. This spice, also known as cassia, tends to have a stronger, spicier character than true cinnamon.

c
: a tree that yields cinnamon
2
: a light yellowish brown
cinnamony adjective

Did you know?

Cinnamon is a spice produced from a bushy evergreen tree of the laurel family. The tree is native to Sri Lanka, India, and Burma and cultivated in South America and the West Indies for the spice, which is prepared from its dried inner bark. The light-brown spice has a delicately fragrant aroma and warm, sweet flavor. It was once more valuable than gold. The oil is distilled from bark fragments for use in food, liqueur, drugs, and perfume.

Examples of cinnamon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Create muesli: Mix raw oats with sliced almonds, raisins, and a dash of cinnamon for a nutritious, fiber-rich breakfast. Lauren O'Connor, Ms, Health, 29 Sep. 2024 Using lavender, cinnamon and other home remedies are not effective methods because there’s no scientific evidence that these work. Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 23 Sep. 2024 Sprinkling cinnamon around the nest can be an effective deterrent too. Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Sep. 2024 Luna Morada incorporates a mix of purple maize, wormwood, milk thistle and warming spices such as cinnamon and clove. Rachel King, Forbes, 19 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for cinnamon 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cinnamon.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English cynamone, from Anglo-French, from Latin cinnamomum, cinnamon, from Greek kinnamōmon, kinnamon, of non-Indo-European origin; akin to Hebrew qinnāmōn cinnamon

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of cinnamon was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near cinnamon

Cite this Entry

“Cinnamon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cinnamon. Accessed 12 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

cinnamon

noun
cin·​na·​mon ˈsin-ə-mən How to pronounce cinnamon (audio)
1
a
: a spice consisting of the pleasant-smelling bark of any of several Asian trees related to the laurels
b
: a tree that yields cinnamon
2
: a light yellowish brown
cinnamony adjective

Medical Definition

cinnamon

noun
cin·​na·​mon ˈsin-ə-mən How to pronounce cinnamon (audio)
often attributive
1
: any of several Asian trees of the genus Cinnamomum
2
a
: the highly aromatic, dried bark of a cinnamon tree that yields a culinary spice, cinnamaldehyde, and cinnamon oil
b
: an aromatic spice prepared from the dried inner bark of a cinnamon

Note: A typically mild and somewhat sweet, tan to light brown cinnamon comes from a tree (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) of Sri Lanka and southern India, and is usually considered to be true cinnamon. Cinnamon that comes from several related trees (such as the Chinese cinnamon) typically accounts for most of the less expensive cinnamon spice sold in stores. This spice, also known as cassia, tends to have a stronger, spicier character than true cinnamon.

More from Merriam-Webster on cinnamon

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