tamarind

noun

tam·​a·​rind ˈta-mə-rənd How to pronounce tamarind (audio)
-ˌrind
1
: an African evergreen tree (Tamarindus indica) of the legume family that is widely grown in tropical regions and has hard yellowish wood, pinnate leaves, red-striped yellow flowers, and an edible fruit
2
: the fruit of the tamarind tree consisting of an oblong brown pod containing 1 to 12 flat seeds embedded in a brownish, sticky, acidic pulp which is used especially in preserves and pastes and to flavor foods and beverages

Illustration of tamarind

Illustration of tamarind

Examples of tamarind in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Fried chicken wings are drenched in a sweet-spicy, caramelized fish sauce glaze and cocktails wink at the tropics of Vietnam with spirits made from sugar cane and agave, like rums and tequilas, blended with tropical fruits, such as hibiscus, pineapple and tamarind. Detroit Free Press, 10 Mar. 2024 Sample wings flavored with tamarind, agrodolce, or Thai spices. Ellen Fort and Nicole Clausing, Sunset Magazine, 30 Jan. 2024 When the air starts to smell like allspice and tamarind, look for the long line and then stand at the back of it. Nikita Richardson, New York Times, 13 June 2023 Dishes like Tod Mun Pla Thai seasoned catfish come with tamarind hot sauce, coconut grits, and curry coleslaw. Dwight Brown, Essence, 20 Dec. 2023 It’s served with curry-scented chickpeas, tamarind sauce, cucumber chow, and culantro (sister to cilantro) chutney. Dwight Brown, Essence, 20 Dec. 2023 First, there’s a classic Honey BBQ version with tamarind, honey, and molasses in the mix. Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 22 Nov. 2023 At Besharam, blackberries, pomegranate juice and tamarind replace the hard-to-source jamun. Leena Trivedi-Grenier, Washington Post, 22 Dec. 2023 After months of research conducted by over 50 people worldwide, McCormick announced tamarind as its next flavor of the year. Sharon Greenthal, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tamarind.' 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

Spanish & Portuguese tamarindo, from Arabic tamr hindī, literally, Indian date

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tamarind was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near tamarind

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

tamarind

noun
tam·​a·​rind ˈtam-ə-rənd How to pronounce tamarind (audio)
-rind
: a tropical tree of the legume family that has hard yellowish wood, feathery leaves, and red-striped yellow flowers
also : its fruit which has a sour pulp used especially for preserves or as a seasoning in cooking

Medical Definition

tamarind

noun
tam·​a·​rind ˈtam-ə-rənd, -ˌrind How to pronounce tamarind (audio)
1
: a tropical leguminous tree (Tamarindus indica) with hard yellowish wood and a fruit with an acid pulp
2
: the pulp of the partially dried ripe fruit of a tamarind used in herbal medicine especially for its laxative properties

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