# tamarind

/tˈæməɹˌɪnd/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/tamarind
Updated: 2026-10-19

## Definition

a sour brown fruit that grows in long pods on a tropical tree. You use its sticky pulp to give a sour taste to curries, sauces, and drinks.

For teachers: a tropical evergreen tree bearing long brown pods with sour, sticky pulp; also the fruit or pulp itself, widely used as a souring agent in South Asian, Southeast Asian, Latin American, and Middle Eastern cooking.

## Examples

- She adds tamarind to the soup for a sour taste.
- The market stall sells fresh tamarind pods and jars of sweet-sour tamarind paste for cooking.
- Slow-simmered with lentils and spices, tamarind lends the dish a deep sourness that balances heat with a faint, date-like sweetness.

## Usage notes

- Refers to the tree, the pod-like fruit, or the cooking pulp; common collocations are 'tamarind paste', 'tamarind sauce', and 'tamarind tree'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.