cilantro
cilantro Lexical Profile
cilantro Game Scores & Validity
• noun
North American The fresh, pungent leaves and stems of the coriander plant (Coriandrum sativum), widely used as a culinary herb in Mexican, Middle Eastern, Indian, and Asian cuisines.
"She chopped a handful of fresh cilantro to garnish the street tacos just before serving."
North American The annual herbaceous plant in the celery family (Apiaceae) that yields both the leafy herb and the seed spice known as coriander.
"They decided to grow cilantro, basil, and mint in their backyard garden this spring."
Word Nuance & Usage
In North American English, 'cilantro' refers strictly to the fresh leaves and stems of the plant, while the dried seeds are called 'coriander'. In British and Commonwealth English, the leaves are typically called 'coriander' or 'fresh coriander'.
• Rhymes for cilantro
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed into American English from American Spanish 'cilantro', derived from Old Spanish 'culantro', which ultimately originates from the Latin 'coriandrum'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.