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

The 18-centimeter lunar greenhouse also contains potato and rock cress (related to cabbage and mustard) seeds, as well as fruit fly eggs, which Chinese scientists hope will hatch during the rover’s stay on the moon. — Jill Kiedaisch, Popular Mechanics, "Seeds Have Sprouted on the Moon for the Very First Time," 15 Jan. 2019 In a small skillet over high heat, combine coconut oil, mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds, making sure spices are mostly submerged in fat. — Max Falkowitz, WSJ, "Flake News: Fresh Coconut Is Delicious," 23 Nov. 2018 Qantas recently replaced 10 percent of its jet fuel with mustard-seed biofuel on one of its flights. — Megan Geuss, Ars Technica, "Tonight a Virgin Atlantic 747 will fly on fuel made from industrial waste gas," 2 Oct. 2018 Place cucumbers, onion, celery seeds, and mustard seeds in a bowl or 2 pint jars, dividing evenly. Pour brine over cucumber mixture and let cool. — Kate Merker, Country Living, "Bread-and-Butter Pickles," 13 Aug. 2018 Google Fi makes use of T-Mobile, Sprint, and US Cellular networks, so in further reaches of the U.S. where AT&T or Verizon reign supreme, Google Fi's triple threat might still not cut the mustard. — Eric Limer, Popular Mechanics, "The New Google Fi Is the Perfect Excuse to Dump Your Crummy Mobile Carrier," 28 Nov. 2018 Spread the mustard in the pastry and top evenly with goat cheese. — Jill Gibson, BostonGlobe.com, "Recipe: A buttery crust made with fresh basil holds goat cheese and sliced tomatoes," 11 June 2018 The sourness from the pickled mustard also comes through, but doesn’t overwhelm. — Jim Thurman, Los Angeles Magazine, "A China Chain’s Pricey Bowls of Sauerkraut Fish Soup Have Landed in the SGV," 24 May 2018 Even when generously applied, the mustard does not overpower. — Becky Krystal, charlotteobserver, "Breaded chicken cutlets that can go in (or on) just about anything | Charlotte Observer," 1 May 2018

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

7 Mar 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