cassia

noun

cas·​sia ˈka-shə How to pronounce cassia (audio)
1
or less commonly cassia cinnamon : the dried, aromatic bark of several tropical trees (genus Cinnamomum) that yields a reddish brown to dark brown spice sold as and used similarly to true cinnamon but having a usually stronger, more spicy character
also : the powdered spice produced from cassia bark see indonesian cinnamon
2
: any of a genus (Cassia) of leguminous herbs, shrubs, and trees of warm regions : senna

Examples of cassia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Cinnamon is made from the bark of two trees: Cinnamomum verum for cinnamon sticks, and Cinnamomum cassia for ground cinnamon. Serina Desalvio, Discover Magazine, 16 Dec. 2023 Indian bay leaves, or tej patta or cassia bay leaves, come from the Indian cassia tree and boast citrusy and spiced notes, Cook’s Illustrated says. Becky Krystal, Washington Post, 23 Jan. 2023 Dark, sweet cassia is typically sourced from Vietnam, Indonesia, and China and is the variety most commonly found in American supermarkets in ground or stick form. Rebecca Firkser, Bon Appétit, 20 Mar. 2023 Indian bay leaves, or tej patta or cassia bay leaves, come from the Indian cassia tree and boast citrusy and spiced notes, Cook’s Illustrated says. Becky Krystal, Washington Post, 23 Jan. 2023 Plus, the addition of cassia and castor oil leave your curls feeling extra moisturized and soft—ideal if your hair tends to feel dry. Sha Ravine Spencer, Health.com, 5 July 2021 The formula is made with ionic peptides that prevent damage from up to 450 degrees and cassia bark polymer that smoothes out hair in the face of humidity, along with the nourishing and hydrating hemisqualane and orchid milk. Ariel Scotti, Peoplemag, 28 Dec. 2022 Tail Martini Spell is an evolution of the classic martini, adding to the core spirit base a sweet and dry vermouth milk punch with cocoa powder and a cassia and bee balm aged cordial. Joanne Shurvell, Forbes, 17 June 2022 The cassia tree blooms in October, with an explosion of small yellow flowers over a canopy of light green. Ishan Kukreti, Quartz, 5 Nov. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cassia.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English, from Latin, from Greek kassia, of Semitic origin; akin to Hebrew qĕṣīʽāh cassia

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cassia was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near cassia

Cite this Entry

“Cassia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cassia. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cassia

noun
cas·​sia ˈkash-ə How to pronounce cassia (audio)
1
: the dried coarse bark of any of several cinnamons
2
: any of a genus of herbs, shrubs, and trees of the legume family which grow in warm regions

Medical Definition

cassia

noun
cas·​sia
ˈkash-ə, especially sense 2 ˈkas-ē-ə
1
: the dried, aromatic bark of several tropical trees of the genus Cinnamomum (such as Chinese cinnamon) that yields a reddish brown to dark brown spice sold as and used similarly to true cinnamon but having a usually stronger, more spicy character
also : the powdered spice produced from cassia bark
2
capitalized : a genus of leguminous herbs, shrubs, and trees that are native to warm regions and have pinnate leaves and nearly regular flowers see senna
3

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