coriander

What it means

1. AustraliaIrelandUKuncountableusuallyThe annual herb Coriandrum sativum, used in many cuisines.

   The life of one plant would be affected by another. Rue was definitely hostile to basil, rosemary to hyssop, but coriander, dill and chervil lived on the friendliest of terms[.]

   1940, Rosetta E. Clarkson, Green Enchantments: The Magic Spell of Gardens, The Macmillan Company, page 253

   1 more example

   Tobacco and the plant valerian are also considered to be anaphrodisiac in their effects, diminishing sexual inclination. Also vinegar, dried coriander, potassium bromide, cocaine, vervain, acid drinks, lemonade.

   1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs, New York: The Citadel Press, page 11

   Synonyms: Chinese parsley

2. USuncountableusuallyThe dried fruits thereof, used as a spice.

   Synonyms: coriander seeds

In a sentence

The life of one plant would be affected by another. Rue was definitely hostile to basil, rosemary to hyssop, but coriander, dill and chervil lived on the friendliest of terms[.]

1940, Rosetta E. Clarkson, Green Enchantments: The Magic Spell of Gardens, The Macmillan Company, page 253

Where it comes from

1. Pre-Greek
2. Ancient Greekκορίανδρον
3. Latincoriandrum
4. Old Frenchcorïandre
5. Anglo-Normancoriandre
6. Middle Englishcoriandre
7. Englishcoriander

From Middle English coriandre, from Anglo-Norman coriandre, from Old French corïandre, from Latin coriandrum, from Ancient Greek κορίανδρον (koríandron), of uncertain origin. Doublet of cilantro. cognates, etc. Compare Ancient Greek κορίαννον (koríannon), κορίαμβλον (koríamblon), Mycenaean Greek 𐀒𐀪𐁀𐀅𐀙 (ko-ri-a2-da-na), 𐀒𐀪𐀊𐀅𐀙 (ko-ri-ja-da-na), 𐀒𐀪𐀊𐀈𐀜 (ko-ri-ja-do-no), 𐀒𐀪𐀍𐀅𐀙 (ko-ri-jo-da-na), Akkadian 𒌑𒄷𒌷𒌝 (^úḫurium) Aramaic כסברה (kusbara, “coriander”), Classical Syriac ܟܽܘܣܒܰܪܬܳܐ (kūsbartā, “coriander”) and Arabic كُزْبَرَة (kuzbara). Beekes supposes that cluster -dn- implies a Pre-Greek word, and hypothesizes that *koriaⁿdro- may have dissimilated to *koriaⁿdno-.