sesame
sesame Lexical Profile
sesame Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The small, oval, edible seed of the sesame plant, widely used as an ingredient in baking, cooking, and for extracting culinary oil.
"The chef finished the teriyaki salmon by sprinkling toasted sesame over the glaze."
An erect, annual tropical and subtropical plant (Sesamum indicum) of the family Pedaliaceae, extensively cultivated for its small, oil-rich seeds.
"The farmers cultivated sesame alongside their traditional crops to produce highly sought-after vegetable oils."
Word Nuance & Usage
Frequently functions as an attributive noun in culinary contexts (e.g., sesame oil, sesame seeds) and is culturally famous as part of the magical phrase 'open sesame' from the tale of Ali Baba.
• Rhymes for sesame
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English, via Latin 'sesamum' and Greek 'sēsamon'. It ultimately derives from an ancient Semitic source, such as the Akkadian 'šamaššammū', literally meaning 'plant of oil'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.