coriander

American  

[kawr-ee-an-der] / ˈkɔr iˌæn dər /

noun

1. Also called cilantro.  Also called Chinese parsley.  an herb, Coriandrum sativum, of the parsley family, native to Europe, having strong-scented leaves used in cooking and aromatic seeds used as a seasoning and in medicine.

2. the seeds of this plant.

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coriander British  

/ ˌkɒrɪˈændə /

noun

1. US and Canadian name: cilantro.  a European umbelliferous plant, Coriandrum sativum, widely cultivated for its aromatic seeds and leaves, used in flavouring food, etc

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Etymology

Origin of coriander

1350–1400; Middle English coriandre < Latin coriandrum < Greek koríandron, variant of koríannon

Explanation

Coriander is a plant that's used as flavoring in cooking. Both the leaves and seeds of coriander show up in Indian, Mexican, and Thai recipes, among others. The bright green leaves of coriander are also called "cilantro" in North America, and they're an ingredient in many regional dishes, often appearing as a garnish on both curries and guacamole. Coriander seeds are ground into a spice with a lemony, slightly spicy flavor that's found in many Indian dishes. Coriander has a Greek root, koriannon, which some botanists suspect is related to koris, "bedbug," because of the unripe plant's unpleasant smell.

Example Sentences

Also on the list was aloo naan - made by stuffing the naan with potatoes seasoned with spices and coriander.

From BBC • Dec. 29, 2025

I also have a deep love for fresh herbs in my salads — coriander, dill, chives, parsley, oregano, thyme, rosemary and many others.

From Salon • Sep. 15, 2024

And more recently in April, food and drugs control authorities in Gujarat seized more than 60,000kg of adulterated spices - chilli powder, turmeric and coriander power and pickle masala.

From BBC • May 14, 2024

Their pollen can cross-react with fruit and vegetables, including kiwi, banana, mango, avocado, grapes, celery, carrot and potato, and some herbs such as caraway, coriander, fennel, pepper and paprika.

From Salon • May 9, 2024

He let me use his mortar and pestle to ground up the cumin, coriander, and ginger.

From "The Night Diary" by Veera Hiranandani