# turmeric

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈtɝ.mɚ.ɪk/ · frequency rank #34,330

## Definitions
1. An Indian plant (Curcuma longa), with aromatic rhizomes, part of the ginger family (Zingiberaceae).
2. The pulverized rhizome of the turmeric plant, used for flavoring and to add a bright yellow color to food.
3. A yellow to reddish-brown dye extracted from the turmeric plant.

## Etymology
From Middle English turmeryte, tarmaret, of uncertain origin. Possibly corrupted from Arabic كُرْكُم (kurkum, “Curcuma”) or from Old French terre mérite (“deserving earth”), potentially as a folk etymology of the Arabic.

## Common misspellings (12)
`trumeric`, `tturmeric`, `tumreric`, `turemric`, `turmeirc`, `turmerci`, `turmericc`, `turmerric`, `turmmeric`, `turmreic`, `turrmeric`, `utrmeric`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/turmeric