tamarind
Americannoun
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the pod of a large, tropical tree, Tamarindus indica, of the legume family, containing seeds enclosed in a juicy acid pulp that is used in beverages and food.
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the tree itself.
noun
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a leguminous tropical evergreen tree, Tamarindus indica, having pale yellow red-streaked flowers and brown pulpy pods, each surrounded by a brittle shell
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the acid fruit of this tree, used as a food and to make beverages and medicines
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the wood of this tree
Etymology
Origin of tamarind
1525–35; < Medieval Latin tamarindus ≪ Arabic tamr hindī literally, Indian date
Vocabulary lists containing tamarind
English Food and Drink Words Derived from Arabic
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National Spelling Bee '14: Prelims Round 2
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Southeast Asia - Middle School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
By the time you’re invited to nibble the pulp off seeds straight from a tamarind pod, a palate cleanser before dessert, you may have forgotten that the island you’re on is Manhattan.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026
As a child, on days when rice was scarce, he would forage with his family for snails in the paddy fields, which would be cooked in a savoury tamarind sauce.
From BBC • Jun. 27, 2025
Swirls of coconut, tamarind, chamoy and cucumber are dusted with lime chili flakes, creating a deeply complex candy experience.
From Salon • Apr. 18, 2025
She immediately earned accolades, and not just for beers with Mexican flavors — tamarind, Mexican chocolate, chile.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 16, 2024
We drank the most delectable agua de tamarindo, sweet-tart juice made from tamarind, and ate and ate and ate.
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
