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.

---

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

---

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

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

I’m cutting up a bunch of garlic, I’m using a bunch of olive oil, and I’m using a bunch of different seasonings, and whatever happens, happens and in the end, it’ll be tasty.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

In the 20th arrondissement, the typical dish of the Aveyron is aligot, a simple combination of Tomme de vache cheese, potatoes, butter and garlic.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

Laughing as they chop onions and caramelize them with garam masala and turmeric and ginger and garlic, trying to replicate my nanni’s kheema.

From "Internment" by Samira Ahmed