turmeric

English
Turmeric (Curcuma longa)
Processed turmeric rhizomes

Etymology

From Middle English turmeryte, tarmaret, of uncertain origin. Possibly from Old French terre mérite (“deserving earth”). According to Klein, possibly corrupted from Arabic كركم‎ (“Curcuma”).

Pronunciation
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈtɜɹ.mə.ɹɪk/, [ˈtʰɝ.mɚ.ɹɪk], (nonstandard, sometimes proscribed) /ˈtuː.mə.ɹɪk/, [ˈtʰu.mɚ.ɹɪk]
  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈtɜːm(ə).ɹɪk/, (nonstandard, sometimes proscribed) /ˈtjuːm(ə).ɹɪk/

Noun

turmeric (countable and uncountable, plural turmerics)

  1. (botany) An Indian plant, Curcuma longa, with aromatic rhizomes, part of the ginger family (Zingiberaceae).
  2. (cooking) The pulverized rhizome of the turmeric plant, used for flavoring and to add a bright yellow color to food.
    Synonym: haldi
  3. A yellow to reddish-brown dye extracted from the turmeric plant.
    Synonym: E100
    turmeric colour:  

Derived terms
Derived terms

Translations

See also

References
  • “termerite (n.)” in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-07-25.
  • Klein, Dr. Ernest, A Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the English Language, Amsterdam: Elsevier Scientific Publishing Co., 1971.

Further reading
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