Word
sesame
US/ˈsɛsəmi/
UK/sˈɛsɐmˌi/
Definitions
01the seed
n. the small, flat seeds of the sesame plant, often found on bread or used in Asian cooking.
n. the small, oval, oil-rich seeds of the Sesamum indicum plant, widely used as a condiment or ingredient in global cuisines.
“The burger bun was covered in toasted sesame seeds.”
“The chef finished the dish with a generous sprinkle of black sesame, adding both a nutty flavour and a striking visual contrast.”
Usage
Often used as a modifier before another noun, as in 'sesame oil' or 'sesame seeds'.
02the plant
n. the tropical plant that these seeds grow on.
n. the tropical Asian herbaceous plant itself, belonging to the family Pedaliaceae.
“Farmers in the region have started growing sesame because it survives well in dry weather.”
“The cultivation of sesame requires a long period of warmth, making it a staple crop in tropical and subtropical climates across Asia and Africa.”
Technical
Usage
Uncountable when referring to the crop in general; countable when referring to specific botanical species.
Etymology
From late Middle English sisamie, from Latin sīsamum, sēsamum, from Ancient Greek σήσαμον (sḗsamon), from Aramaic שושמא (šūššmā), shortening of שומשומא (šumššumā), from Akkadian 𒊭𒈦𒌑𒈬 (šamaššammū, “oil plant”), compound of 𒉌𒄑 (šaman, “oil”) and 𒌑 (šammum, “plant”). The modern pronunciation is perhaps influenced by (transliterations of) Greek σησάμη (sisámi). Doublet of sesamum.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/sesame