vanaspati

noun

va·​nas·​pa·​ti və-ˈnə-spə-tē How to pronounce vanaspati (audio) -ˈnä- How to pronounce vanaspati (audio)
: a hydrogenated vegetable fat used as a butter substitute in India

Examples of vanaspati in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Image Until now, efforts by the Indian government to reduce the use of vanaspati have been stymied by food producers. Andrew Jacobs, New York Times, 14 May 2018 Until now, efforts by the Indian government to reduce the use of vanaspati have been stymied by food producers. Andrew Jacobs, BostonGlobe.com, 14 May 2018 In India, trans fats often take the form of vanaspati, an inexpensive cooking oil that is sometimes used repeatedly by restaurants and street vendors. Andrew Jacobs, BostonGlobe.com, 14 May 2018 Researchers say the process of reheating vanaspati, which is made from palm oil, renders it even more lethal, and likely contributes to soaring rates of heart disease among South Asians. Andrew Jacobs, New York Times, 14 May 2018 Researchers say the process of reheating vanaspati, which is made from palm oil, renders it even more lethal and likely contributes to soaring rates of heart disease among South Asians. Andrew Jacobs, BostonGlobe.com, 14 May 2018

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Hindi, short for vanaspati ghī, literally, "ghee from vegetable matter"

First Known Use

circa 1941, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of vanaspati was circa 1941

Dictionary Entries Near vanaspati

Cite this Entry

“Vanaspati.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vanaspati. Accessed 5 Dec. 2024.

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