cassia

C3A1S1S1I1A1
/ˈkæsiə/

noun

The spice made from the bark of members of the genus Cinnamomum other than true cinnamon (C. verum), when they are distinguished from cinnamon.

Similar
cassia-bark treeCinnamomum cassia
OriginLatin cassia ← Ancient Greek κασσία, κασία, κάσια ← Hebrew קְצִיעָה →
Less commonScrabble 8
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Meanings

nouncassia (countable and uncountable, plural cassias or cassiæ)

plural cassias · plural cassiæ

  1. uncountableThe spice made from the bark of members of the genus Cinnamomum other than true cinnamon (C. verum), when they are distinguished from cinnamon.
  2. countableSuch trees themselves, particularly the Chinese cinnamon, Cinnamomum cassia.

    The Daughters of the Flood have ſearch'd the Mead / For Violets pale, and cropt the Poppy's Head: / The Short Narciſſus and fair Daffodil, / Pancies to pleaſe the Sight, and Caſſia ſvveet to ſmell: […]

    1697, Virgil, “The Second Pastoral. Or, Alexis.”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, page 6
  3. countableAny of several tropical leguminous plants, of the genus Cassia.
  4. countableAny of several tropical leguminous plants, of the genus Senna.
  5. countablemistranslation from ChineseThe sweet osmanthus (O. fragrans).

Synonyms & antonyms

nounChinese tree with aromatic bark; yields a less desirable cinnamon than Ceylon cinnamon

Similar
cassia-bark treeCinnamomum cassia
Broader
laurel
Also see
chinese cinnamonindonesian cinnamonsaigon cinnamon

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Aramaicקְצִיעֲתָא
  2. Hebrewקְצִיעָה
  3. Ancient Greekκασσία, κασία, κάσια
  4. Latincassia“cinnamon”
  5. Englishcassia

From Latin cassia (“cinnamon”), from Ancient Greek κασσία, κασία, κάσια (kassía, kasía, kásia), from Hebrew קְצִיעָה (qəṣīʿā), from Aramaic קְצִיעֲתָא (qəṣīʿătā), from קְצַע (qṣaʿ, “to cut off”). Compare Kezia.

More words from Latin, Ancient Greek, Hebrew

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Afrikaans kassia
  • kassiaplant used as a spice
Hebrew קְצִיעָה
  • קְצִיעָה (ktzi'á)plant used as a spice
Hungarian kasszia
  • kassziaplant used as a spice
Japanese カシア
  • カシア (kashia)plant used as a spice
Māori kahia
  • kahiaplant used as a spice
Polish cynamonowiec, kasja
  • cynamonowiecplant used as a spice
  • kasjaplant used as a spice

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Isaacs
Cite this entry
APA

cassia. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cassia

MLA

“cassia.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cassia. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cassia,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cassia.

Source: cassia on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.