mustard

noun

mus·tard | \ ˈmə-stərd

Definition of mustard

1a : 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

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Examples of mustard in a Sentence

Would you like some mustard on your hot dog?

Recent Examples on the Web

Combine the brown sugar, chili powder, powdered mustard, black pepper, salt and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. — Becky Krystal, The Denver Post, "This classic barbecue chicken recipe will complete your summer," 4 July 2019 Step 2 Combine the brown sugar, chili powder, dry mustard, black pepper, salt and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. — Becky Krystal, Washington Post, "This classic barbecue chicken recipe will complete your summer," 3 July 2019 An all-beef hot dog on a steamed poppy seed bun with raw onions, bright green relish, mustard, tomato slices, a pickle spear, sport peppers and a dash of celery salt. — Sue Selasky, Detroit Free Press, "Detroiters ate an awful lot of hot dogs last year. Here are the numbers," 2 July 2019 In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, 2 tablespoons oil, mustard, garlic, caraway seeds, and ¼ teaspoon salt. — The Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen, Good Housekeeping, "Steak and Rye Panzanella," 1 July 2019 In a smaller bowl, mix the apple-cider vinegar, mustard, mayonnaise and sugar. — Marc Bona, cleveland.com, "Recipe: ’Cued kielbasa sandwich for Cleveland Indians fans," 27 June 2019 Order breakfast and lunch at the deli counter, from a menu similar to the original: corned beef on rye with Swiss, sauerkraut, and Thousand Island ($13); pulled pork with sweet slaw ($12); pastrami with pickle mustard ($13). — Kara Baskin, BostonGlobe.com, "All the meat you could eat and much more at the revived Moody’s Delicatessen & Provisions," 27 June 2019 Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, borage syrup, salt and pepper together in a bowl until lightly emulsified. — ExpressNews.com, "Recipe: Shaved Squash Salad with Borage Vinaigrette," 19 June 2019 In the early years of European settlement, people really liked certain colors—varieties of red, mustard, blue, pink—which is why the Dior pieces look so traditional. — Tatum Dooley, Teen Vogue, "The History Behind The Star Print of Dior's Latest Swimsuit Collection, Toile de Jouy," 12 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'mustard.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

11 Jul 2019

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Time Traveler for mustard

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

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More Definitions for mustard

mustard

noun

English Language Learners Definition of mustard

: a thick and spicy yellow or brownish-yellow sauce that is usually eaten with meat

: a plant with yellow flowers, leaves that can be used for food, and seeds that are used in making mustard

: a brownish-yellow color

See the full definition for mustard in the English Language Learners Dictionary

mustard

noun

mus·tard | \ ˈmə-stərd

Kids Definition of mustard

: a sharp-tasting yellow powder that is prepared from the seeds of a plant related to the cabbage and is used especially as a seasoning for foods

mustard

noun

mus·tard | \ ˈməs-tərd

Medical Definition of mustard

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

3a : mustard gas

b : nitrogen mustard