tamarind

noun

tam·a·rind ˈta-mə-rənd

-ˌrind

: an African evergreen tree (Tamarindus indica) of the legume family that is widely grown in tropical regions and has hard yellowish wood, pinnate leaves, red-striped yellow flowers, and an edible fruit

: the fruit of the tamarind tree consisting of an oblong brown pod containing 1 to 12 flat seeds embedded in a brownish, sticky, acidic pulp which is used especially in preserves and pastes and to flavor foods and beverages

Examples of tamarind in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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Also available are spicy chicken breast sautéed with lemongrass, Asian basil and peanuts ($32); shaking beef ($45), made with diced hanger steak, scallion and chili, and baked Chilean sea bass ($48) with tamarind and soy marinade. — Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 28 Oct. 2026 The savory vol-au-vent with pear and onion jam, tart tamarind and pecorino cheese is ambitious, but the pastry itself was a bit heavy, the layers not quite flaky enough for the abundant stuffing. — Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2026 To a small bowl, add the tamarind purée, chiles, garlic, fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and salt and stir to combine. — Emma Specter, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2026 The produce department features tropical fruits such as jackfruit, dragon fruit, mangoes, sweet tamarind and durian, alongside a large selection of Asian vegetables and a wide variety of mushrooms that can compete with any local farmer’s market. — Sara Rosenthal, Denver Post, 11 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tamarind

Word History

Etymology

Spanish & Portuguese tamarindo, from Arabic tamr hindī, literally, Indian date

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of tamarind was in the 15th century

See more words from the same century

Browse Nearby Words

tamarin

tamarind

tamarisk

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Tamarind.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tamarind. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

tamarind

noun

tam·a·rind ˈtam-ə-rənd

-rind

: a tropical tree of the legume family that has hard yellowish wood, feathery leaves, and red-striped yellow flowers

also : its fruit which has a sour pulp used especially for preserves or as a seasoning in cooking

Medical Definition

tamarind

noun

tam·a·rind ˈtam-ə-rənd, -ˌrind

: a tropical leguminous tree (Tamarindus indica) with hard yellowish wood and a fruit with an acid pulp

: the pulp of the partially dried ripe fruit of a tamarind used in herbal medicine especially for its laxative properties

tamarind

noun

Illustration of tamarind

Examples of tamarind in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

Medical Definition

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