| n. | 1. | (Bot.) An East Indian plant of the genus Curcuma, of the Ginger family. | |||||||||
| 2. | The root or rootstock of the Curcuma longa. It is externally grayish, but internally of a deep, lively yellow or saffron color, and has a slight aromatic smell, and a bitterish, slightly acrid taste. It is used for a dye, a medicine, a condiment, and a chemical test. | ||||||||||
| a. | 1. | (Chem.) Of or pertaining to turmeric; resembling, or obtained from, turmeric; specif., designating an acid obtained by the oxidation of turmerol.
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| Noun | 1. | turmeric - widely cultivated tropical plant of India having yellow flowers and a large aromatic deep yellow rhizome; source of a condiment and a yellow dye Synonyms: Curcuma domestica, Curcuma longa |
| 2. | turmeric - ground dried rhizome of the turmeric plant used as seasoning |