garlic

 
Pronunciation: /ˈgɑːlɪk/

noun

[mass noun]
  • 1a strong-smelling pungent-tasting bulb, used as a flavouring in cookery and in herbal medicine: [as modifier]: garlic butter
  • 2the central Asian plant, closely related to the onion, which produces garlic.
    • Allium sativum, family Liliaceae (or Alliaceae)
  • used in names of plants with a similar smell or flavour to garlic, e.g. wild garlic.

Derivatives

garlicky

adjective

Origin:

Old English gārlēac, from gār 'spear' (because the shape of a clove resembles the head of a spear) + lēac 'leek'