tamarind
Americannoun
-
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.
-
the tree itself.
noun
-
a leguminous tropical evergreen tree, Tamarindus indica, having pale yellow red-streaked flowers and brown pulpy pods, each surrounded by a brittle shell
-
the acid fruit of this tree, used as a food and to make beverages and medicines
-
the wood of this tree
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
National Spelling Bee '14: Prelims Round 2
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Southeast Asia - Middle School
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
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
Semma's menu - pepper rasam, tamarind crab, banana flower vadai, the ubiquitous dosa - offer an emotional connection for many diaspora diners, and a revelation for first-timers.
From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2025
She immediately earned accolades, and not just for beers with Mexican flavors — tamarind, Mexican chocolate, chile.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2024
Hardly a week goes by without using saffron, turmeric, pomegranate molasses, tamarind, cinnamon, or sumac in my cooking.
From Salon ● Sep. 15, 2024
Carrasco drags a wooden pew out of the church, pulls it into the shade of a tamarind tree, and helps Enrique onto it.
From "Enrique's Journey" by Sonia Nazario
Up to 12 kinds are being planted, from palms and tamarinds to kapoks and lemon trees - the varieties depend on the needs of the community and the terrain.
From BBC ● Dec. 27, 2022
She apprenticed herself, learning to turn jars in the sun so the fruit dried evenly and to combine new and old tamarinds to balance out their acidity levels.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 7, 2020
She apprenticed herself, learning to turn jars in the sun so the fruit dried evenly, and to combine new and old tamarinds to balance out their acidity levels.
From New York Times ● Jan. 6, 2020
This was not a Dajabón type of border market, with brokers dealing in everything from disposable diapers to cellphone chargers, but a true farmers’ market, offering tamarinds and unroasted coffee beans spilling out of sacks.
From New York Times ● Nov. 28, 2014
She wants me to decide which one I want, then let the other one go eat tamarinds.
From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez
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.
