turmeric

UK: /ˈtɜː^rmərɪk/ US: /ˈtɝmərɪk/ ,(tûr′mər ik)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

tur•mer•ic /ˈtɜrmərɪk/   n. 

1. Food [uncountable] a powder prepared from the root of an Asian plant of the ginger family, used as a spice.
2. Plant Biology [countable] the plant itself.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

tur•mer•ic  (tûr′mər ik), n. 

1. Plant Biology the aromatic rhizome of an Asian plant, Curcuma domestica (or C. longa), of the ginger family.
2. a powder prepared from it, used as a condiment, as in curry powder, or as a yellow dye, a medicine, etc.
3. Plant Biology the plant itself.
4. Plant Biology any of various similar substances or plants.

• Medieval Latin terra merita merited earth, unexplained name for curcuma
• earlier tarmaret 1530–40

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

turmeric / ˈtɜːmərɪk/ noun

1. a tropical Asian zingiberaceous plant, Curcuma longa, having yellow flowers and an aromatic underground stem
2. the powdered stem of this plant, used as a condiment and as a yellow dye

Etymology: 16th Century: from Old French terre merite, from Medieval Latin terra merita, literally: meritorious earth, name applied for obscure reasons to curcuma