cumin

UK: /ˈkʌmɪn/

US: /ˈkʌmən, ˈkʊm- or, often, ˈkumən, ˈkju-/

US: (kum′ən, kŏŏm′- or, often, ko̅o̅′mən, kyo̅o̅′-)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

cum•in /ˈkʌmən, ˈkʊm- or, often, ˈkumən, ˈkyu-/   n. [uncountable]

1. Plant Biology a small plant of the parsley family, with sweet-smelling, seedlike fruit used as a spice.
2. Plant Biology the fruit or seeds of this plant, used as a spice.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

cum•in  (kum′ən, kŏŏm′- or, often, ko̅o̅′mən, kyo̅o̅′-), n. 

1. Plant Biology a small plant, Cuminum cyminum, of the parsley family, bearing aromatic, seedlike fruit, used in cookery and medicine.
2. Plant Biology the fruit or seeds of this plant.

• Latin, as above
• Semitic (compare Arabic kammūn, Hebrew kammōn cumin); replacing Old English cymen
• Greek kýmīnon
• Latin cumīnum
• Old French comin)
• Middle English comyn, cumin (bef. 900

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

cumin, cummin / ˈkʌmɪn/ noun

1. an umbelliferous Mediterranean plant, Cuminum cyminum, with finely divided leaves and small white or pink flowers
2. the aromatic seeds (collectively) of this plant, used as a condiment and a flavouring

Etymology: 12th Century: from Old French, from Latin cumīnum, from Greek kuminon, of Semitic origin; compare Hebrew kammōn