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Definition of garlic
garlic
/ˈɡɑːr.lɪk/
gar · lic
Adjective:garlicky
garlic Lexical Profile
CEFR
A2
Grade
3
Tier
1
Usage
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Wordle Guess
• noun
1
The strongly scented and pungent bulb of a plant belonging to the onion family, composed of multiple cloves and widely used as a flavoring in culinary dishes worldwide.
Example
"She finely minced two cloves of fresh garlic to add aromatic flavor to the simmering tomato sauce."
2
A bulbous perennial plant (Allium sativum) in the amaryllis family, native to Central Asia and globally cultivated for its culinary and medicinal properties.
Example
"The farmer planted the garlic in late autumn, ensuring the bulbs would have enough time to establish roots before winter."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for garlic• Rhymes for garlic
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Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'gārlēac', a compound formed from 'gār' (spear) and 'lēac' (leek), referring to the plant's spear-shaped leaves.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Garlic. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/garlic