# seasoning

Pronunciation: say "SEE-zuhn-ing" US /ˈsi.zn̩.ɪŋ/, UK /ˈsiː.zn̩.ɪŋ/, AUS /ˈsɪi.zən.ɪŋ/

## Noun

1. Salt, pepper, herbs, spices, or other ingredients added to food to improve its taste or flavor.
   - Simple: A salt, spice, herb, or other thing you add to make food taste better.
   - _The chef adjusted the seasoning until the sauce tasted balanced._
   - _A good seasoning of salt and pepper brought out the flavor of the steak._
2. Anything added to an activity or experience to increase enjoyment or interest.
   - Simple: Anything extra that makes something more fun or enjoyable.
   - _Friendly rivalry was the seasoning that made the whole tournament memorable._
   - _A touch of suspense is the seasoning of a good mystery novel._
3. The drying of freshly cut wood in open air to reduce its moisture before the timber is used.
   - Simple: The drying of wood in open air so it can be used for building or furniture.
   - _Furniture makers rely on careful seasoning to stop their timber from warping._
   - _The seasoning of green lumber can take several years in a sheltered yard._
4. The process of coating cookware with fat and heating it so its surface becomes non-stick.
   - Simple: Coating a pan with fat and heating it so that food will not stick.
   - _Cast-iron skillets develop a smooth, dark surface through repeated seasoning._
   - _The seasoning wore off after she scrubbed the pan with soap._
6. Preparing the laps or wheels used in diamond cutting by applying diamond dust and oil to them.
   - Simple: In diamond cutting, the coating of the spinning wheels with diamond dust and oil.
   - _The cutter renewed the seasoning on the laps at the start of each day._
   - _Careful seasoning of the wheels determined how cleanly the diamond took its facets._

## Verb

5. Present participle and gerund of season. — present participle and gerund of season
   - Simple: Present participle of season. Use this form for something happening right now.
   - _The cook is seasoning the broth before it goes on to simmer._
   - _Seasoning the meat overnight noticeably improves its flavor._

## Noun

7. A state of drunkenness brought on by alcohol. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: A state of being drunk from drinking alcohol.
   - _The sailor's seasoning kept him singing long after the others had gone to bed._
   - _He could not recall the wager he had made during last night's seasoning._

## Origin

**Meanings 1–4, 6–7** — Formed from "season" combined with the suffix "-ing".
**Meaning 5** — From Middle English "seasonyng", the present participle of the Middle English verb "sesounen" ("to season"), equivalent to "season" plus "-ing".

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/seasoning (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).