garlic

American  

[gahr-lik] / ˈgɑr lɪk /

noun

1. a hardy plant, Allium sativum, of the amaryllis family, whose strongly pungent bulb is used in cooking and medicine.

2. any of various plants of the genus Allium related to the familiar culinary garlic A. sativum.

3. the bulb of Allium sativum, consisting of smaller bulbs, or cloves, used in cooking, sometimes in the form of a powder, a paste, or minced pieces.

4. the flavor or smell of this bulb.

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adjective

1. cooked, flavored, or seasoned with garlic, the pungent bulb of the Allium sativum plant.

   garlic bread;

   garlic salt.

2. of or relating to garlic.

garlic British  

/ ˈɡɑːlɪk /

noun

1. a hardy widely cultivated Asian alliaceous plant, Allium sativum, having a stem bearing whitish flowers and bulbils

2. 1. the bulb of this plant, made up of small segments (cloves) that have a strong odour and pungent taste and are used in cooking

   2. ( as modifier )

      a garlic taste

3. any of various other plants of the genus Allium

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Other Word Forms

• garlicked adjective
• garlicky adjective

Etymology

Origin of garlic

First recorded before 1000; Middle English garlec, Old English gārlēac ( gar “spear”, cognate with German Ger, + lēac leek )

Example Sentences

These act as bases for such dishes as Puerto Rican mofongo, made with plantains mashed with pork cracklings, as well as Cuban yuca with mojo, a citrus and garlic sauce.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

The thin sauce uses garlic, salt and other spices for a tangy, peppery punch.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026

It is April, my favorite month in the corner of South West England where I live, when the beech woods explode with wild bluebells and the star-headed flowers of wild garlic ripple in the breeze.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

It’s just a bunch of seasoning and a bunch of garlic.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

Then he takes out mayonnaise that smells like garlic and starts slicing a tomato.

From "Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish" by Pablo Cartaya