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garlic

SayGAR-likUS/ˈɡɑɹlɪk//ˈɡɑːlɪk/

Pluralgarlics (some meanings)

Verbgarlics, garlicking, garlicked

3 meanings of garlic

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  1. 1
    noununcountable
    A preparation of the bulb of Allium sativum used as a food ingredient, or the pungent flavor and aroma typical of that ingredient.

    The recipe calls for two cloves of minced garlic and a pinch of salt.

    Slow roasting mellows garlic into something sweet and spreadable.

  2. 2
    nouncountable or uncountable
    A plant, Allium sativum, related to the onion, whose pungent bulb is widely used in cooking.

    Garlic thrives in well-drained soil and is usually planted in the fall.

    Like its onion relatives, garlic sends up a tall flower stalk in midsummer.

  3. 3
    verbtransitive
    To season or flavor food with garlic.

    The chef likes to garlic the butter before spreading it across the loaf.

    He garlicked the roast generously before sliding it into the oven.

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Origin

Inherited from Middle English garlek, from Old English gārlēac, literally 'spear-leek', from gār ('spear', referring to its sharp, tapering leaves) plus lēac ('leek'). It is cognate with Scots garlic, Faroese geirleykur, and Icelandic geirlaukur.