turmeric

tur·mer·ic | \ ˈtər-mə-rik

also ˈtü-mə- or ˈtyü- \

Definition of turmeric

1 : an Indian perennial herb (Curcuma longa synonym C. domestica) of the ginger family with a large aromatic yellow rhizome

2 : the boiled, dried, and usually ground rhizome of the turmeric plant used as a coloring agent, a flavoring, or a stimulant

3 : a yellow to reddish-brown dyestuff obtained from turmeric

Examples of turmeric in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web This savory Moroccan oats recipe is full of spices like turmeric that will help bolster your immune system. — Drake Wilson, Sunset Magazine, "The Recipes You Should Be Cooking This February," 10 Feb. 2020 Her dull pedestrian form ablaze; her trunk the color of turmeric, shiny as a Skittle; her hands comets of coral, red as a vampire's wish. — Melinda Stevens, Condé Nast Traveler, "Editor's Letter: How Travel Helps Us to See More Clearly," 4 Feb. 2020 Some grains, like buckwheat, and walnuts are praised, as are spices like turmeric. — Zee Krstic, Good Housekeeping, "What Is the Sirtfood Diet? Inside Adele's Reported New Weight Loss Program," 9 Jan. 2020 Pinch of turmeric for color Dash of cardamom, optional Add all ingredients except for cardamom to a blender and blend until smooth. — Dallas News, "Hooray! It’s almost always mango season," 6 Jan. 2020 The butternut squash loaf cake is brightened by the addition of a tiny bit of turmeric, contains chia seeds for texture and is painted with a sweet and sour frosting flavored with aromatic passion fruit, which also happens to be a fall fruit. — Nik Sharma, SFChronicle.com, "Brown Kitchen: Squash does double duty in savory and sweet recipes," 22 Nov. 2019 Ingredients 3/4 cup organic Greek yogurt Dash of ground ginger Dash of ground turmericDash of ground cinnamon Directions 1. — Lindy Segal, Harper's BAZAAR, "Natural DIY Face Masks for Every Skin Type and Concern," 7 Nov. 2019 On the day of the wedding, many leaves had turned the color of turmeric or paprika. — Lois Smith Brady, New York Times, "Two Parts of a ‘Quantum Entanglement’," 25 Oct. 2019 The original recipe for these meatballs is enhanced with a teaspoon of ground turmeric, which gives them a lovely color and aroma. — Bonnie S. Benwick, The Denver Post, "We’d eat these garlicky, spiced meatballs and chickpeas on anything," 22 Sep. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'turmeric.' 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

24 Feb 2020

Cite this Entry

“Turmeric.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/turmeric. Accessed 28 Feb. 2020.

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More Definitions for turmeric

turmeric

noun

tur·mer·ic | \ ˈtər-mə-rik

variants: also tumeric \ ˈt(y)ü-mə-

Medical Definition of turmeric

1 : an Indian perennial herb (Curcuma longa) of the ginger family with a large aromatic yellow rhizome

2 : the cleaned, boiled, dried, and usually ground rhizome of the turmeric plant used in dietary supplements and herbal remedies and as a spice — see curcumin

3 : a yellow to reddish brown dyestuff obtained from turmeric