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oregano

noun
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oreg·​a·​no | \ ə-ˈre-gə-ˌnō How to pronounce oregano (audio) \

Definition of oregano

1 : a bushy perennial mint (Origanum vulgare) with leaves that are used as a seasoning and a source of aromatic oil

— called also origanum, wild marjoram

2 : any of several plants (genera Lippia and Coleus) other than oregano of the vervain or mint families

Examples of oregano in a Sentence

The recipe calls for a tablespoon of chopped oregano.
Recent Examples on the Web Crystals have ridden the modern wellness and witchiness wave into our collective consciousness, now occupying whatever portion of your brain might be aware of your moon sign or the properties of oregano oil. — Jaya Saxena, Vogue, "Crystals Are Nonsense—So Why Do I Love Them?," 4 Dec. 2020 Garnish the cheese with the oregano or parsley sprigs and serve hot, with lemon wedges and bread. — Washington Post, "Flaming cheese saganaki to make everyone say ‘opa!’," 28 Dec. 2020 Add 1 teaspoon dried oregano and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. — Megan Splawn, chicagotribune.com, "The Kitchn: Turkey Bolognese makes loads of leftovers," 8 Dec. 2020 Vendors, many of them Latino, loaded tables with kettle corn, Mexican oregano and boxes of oranges, grapes and pomegranates. — Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, "COVID-19 hit Latinos hard. Now officials must build trust around vaccine in the community," 9 Dec. 2020 Add Worcestershire sauce, oregano, salt and pepper and stir. — Darlene Zimmerman, Detroit Free Press, "Casserole inspired by stuffed peppers makes a good-for-you home-cooked meal," 6 Dec. 2020 Plant perennial oregano, thyme, marjoram, sage and rosemary from 4-inch or 1-gallon pots into a permanent spot in the garden. — Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, "Check off these December garden chores for a parade of blooms in spring," 5 Dec. 2020 The Godfather with pepperoni, sausage, onions and oregano. — Tirion Morris, The Arizona Republic, "This popular metro Phoenix chain is debuting a new pizza restaurant. Here's what to expect," 29 Oct. 2020 Fresh mint and pops of oregano are suspended over a broth that’s desert-red from chiles. — Nick Rallo, Dallas News, "Dallas chefs embrace snout-to-tail cooking with pig head carnitas, menudo and more," 20 Oct. 2020

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

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First Known Use of oregano

1771, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for oregano

American Spanish orégano, from Spanish, wild marjoram, from Latin origanum — more at origanum

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Time Traveler for oregano

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The first known use of oregano was in 1771

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Statistics for oregano

Last Updated

2 Mar 2021

Cite this Entry

“Oregano.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oregano. Accessed 2 Mar. 2021.

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More Definitions for oregano

oregano

noun
How to pronounce oregano (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of oregano

: an herb that has green leaves with a sweet smell which are used in cooking

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

More from Merriam-Webster on oregano

Nglish: Translation of oregano for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about oregano

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