any of several Eurasian plants of the genus Brassica, esp black mustard and white mustard, having yellow or white flowers and slender pods and cultivated for their pungent seeds: family Brassicaceae (crucifers)
See also charlocka paste made from the powdered seeds of any of these plants and used as a condiment a brownish-yellow colour (as adjective): a mustard carpet zest or enthusiasm
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
mus•tard /ˈmʌstɚd/USA pronunciation
n. [uncountable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- a strong-smelling and strong-tasting condiment prepared from the seed of a plant, used esp. as a food seasoning:Will you have mustard on your hot dog?
- Plant Biologythe plant that gives this seed.
mus•tard
(mus′tərd),USA pronunciation n.
- a pungent powder or paste prepared from the seed of the mustard plant, used as a food seasoning or condiment, and medicinally in plasters, poultices, etc.
- Plant Biologyany of various acrid or pungent plants, esp. of the genus Brassica, as B. juncea (leaf mustard,) the leaves of which are used for food and is the chief source of commercial mustard, and Sinapis alba (white mustard). Cf. mustard family.
- See nitrogen mustard.
- Idiomscut the mustard, [Slang.]to reach or surpass the desired standard of performance:a pitcher who cuts the mustard with his fastball.
- Old French moustarde a relish origin, originally made of mustard seed and must, equivalent. to moust must2 + -arde -ard
- Middle English 1300–50
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
'mustard seed' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):