cumin

 
Pronunciation: /ˈkjuːmɪn/
(also cummin)

noun

[mass noun]
  • 1the aromatic seeds of a plant of the parsley family, used as a spice, especially ground and used in curry powder: add a pinch of cumin
  • 2the small, slender plant which bears cumin seeds, occurring from the Mediterranean to central Asia.
    • Cuminum cyminum, family Umbelliferae

Origin:

Old English cymen, from Latin cuminum, from Greek kuminon, probably of Semitic origin and related to Hebrew kammōn and Arabic kammūn; superseded in Middle English by forms from Old French cumon, comin, also from Latin

Spelling help

Cumin can also be spelled cummin, with a double m: both are correct.