tamarind

noun

tam·​a·​rind ˈta-mə-rənd 

-ˌrind

1

: an African evergreen tree (Tamarindus indica) of the legume family that is widely grown in tropical regions and has hard yellowish wood, pinnate leaves, red-striped yellow flowers, and an edible fruit

2

: the fruit of the tamarind tree consisting of an oblong brown pod containing 1 to 12 flat seeds embedded in a brownish, sticky, acidic pulp which is used especially in preserves and pastes and to flavor foods and beverages

Illustration of tamarind

Examples of tamarind in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Mexican-style shops lean toward tropical fruits and warm spices like mango, lime, and tamarind, while American ice cream parlors often go for rich, creamy, and candy-studded creations like birthday cake or cookie dough. —Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 10 Dec. 2025

Learn how to make ban xeo (a crepe); Vietnamese vegan fish sauce; sour soup with pineapple, tamarind, vegetables and herbs; and bananas with coconut milk. —Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 1 Dec. 2025

Serve hot with tamarind chutney if desired. —Romy Gill, Saveur, 22 Oct. 2025

Black Short Rib Kari is a Sri Lankan specialty in which the beef is slowly cooked and served with spiced black gravy, while Meen Manga Kari is a popular seafood dish here made with king fish cubes cooked in sweet-sour tamarind, curry leaves, mango, and tomato. —John Mariani, Forbes.com, 5 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Spanish & Portuguese tamarindo, from Arabic tamr hindī, literally, Indian date

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

tamarind

noun

tam·​a·​rind ˈtam-ə-rənd 

-rind

: a tropical tree of the legume family that has hard yellowish wood, feathery leaves, and red-striped yellow flowers

also : its fruit which has a sour pulp used especially for preserves or as a seasoning in cooking

Medical Definition

tamarind

noun

tam·​a·​rind ˈtam-ə-rənd, -ˌrind 

1

: a tropical leguminous tree (Tamarindus indica) with hard yellowish wood and a fruit with an acid pulp

2

: the pulp of the partially dried ripe fruit of a tamarind used in herbal medicine especially for its laxative properties