mustard

noun

mus·​tard ˈmə-stərd How to pronounce mustard (audio)
1
a
: a pungent yellow condiment consisting of the pulverized seeds of various mustard plants (such as Sinapis alba, Brassica juncea, and B. nigra) either dry or made into a paste or sauce (as by mixing with water or vinegar) and sometimes adulterated with other substances (such as turmeric) or mixed with spices
b
: the seed of a mustard plant used as a spice and in medicine as a stimulant and diuretic, an emetic, or a counterirritant
c
slang : zest
2
: any of several herbs (genera Brassica and Sinapis of the family Brassicaceae synonym Cruciferae, the mustard family) with lobed leaves, yellow flowers, and linear beaked pods
3
: a dark to moderate yellow
mustardy adjective

Illustration of mustard

Illustration of mustard
  • mustard 2

Examples of mustard in a Sentence

Would you like some mustard on your hot dog?
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Red Slaw From my (apparently limited) understanding, all the coleslaw variations could be counted on one hand: mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, buttermilk, and my treasured red. Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 14 May 2025 The singer accessorized with a brown bucket bag, mustard yellow shoes and sunglasses. Catherine Santino, People.com, 13 May 2025 Assemble and Bake In a bowl combine beef mixture, pork and beans, great Northern beans, pinto beans, butter beans, kidney beans, ketchup, molasses, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and cayenne. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 May 2025 Whisk the vinegar, garlic, mustard, salt and black pepper in a small bowl. Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 7 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for mustard

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French mustarde, from must must, from Latin mustum

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of mustard was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mustard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mustard. Accessed 22 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

mustard

noun
mus·​tard ˈməs-tərd How to pronounce mustard (audio)
1
: any of several yellow-flowered herbs related to the turnips and cabbages
2
a
: a yellow sharp-tasting condiment consisting of the crushed seeds of various mustard plants either dry or made into a paste or sauce
b
: the seeds of a mustard plant

Medical Definition

mustard

noun
mus·​tard ˈməs-tərd How to pronounce mustard (audio)
1
: a pungent yellow condiment consisting of the pulverized seeds of the black mustard or sometimes the white mustard either dry or made into a paste and serving as a stimulant and diuretic or in large doses as an emetic and as a counterirritant when applied to the skin as a poultice
2
: any of several herbs (genus Brassica of the family Cruciferae, the mustard family) with lobed leaves, yellow flowers, and linear beaked pods see black mustard sense 1, white mustard
3

More from Merriam-Webster on mustard

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