sesame

From Middle English sysame, sisamie, from Latin sīsamī, genitive singular of Latin sīsamum, sēsamum (compare Medieval Latin sīsaminum, Old French sisamin), from Ancient Greek σήσαμον (sḗsamon, “sesame seed”) and σησάμη (sēsámē, “sesame plant”), from Old Aramaic שושמא‎ (šūššmā), shortening of שומשומא‎ (šumššumā), from Akkadian 𒃻𒈦𒌑𒈬 (/šamaššammū/), 𒊭𒈦𒌑𒈨 (/šamaššammi/, literally “oil plant”), compound of 𒉌 (/šaman/, “oil”) and 𒌑 (/šammu/, “plant”). Spelling was modified early 15c. to reflect Ancient Greek σησάμη (sēsámē).

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈsɛzəmi/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈsɛsəmi/

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• Rhymes: -ɛsəmɪ
• Hyphenation: ses‧a‧me

sesame (countable and uncountable, plural sesames)

1. A tropical Asian plant (Sesamum indicum) bearing small flat seeds used as food and as a source of oil.

   Synonyms: beniseed, gingelly

2. The seed of this plant.

   Synonym: sesame seed

• open sesame
• sesame grass

• Maeses, Meases, ameses, meases