What does cinnamon mean?
Cinnamon is one of the world's oldest and best-loved spices, obtained by drying and rolling the inner bark of tropical evergreen trees of the genus Cinnamomum into the familiar sticks known as quills, or grinding them into a fine powder. Its warm, sweetly pungent flavour makes it a staple of baking — appearing in rolls, pastries, cookies, and spiced drinks — as well as of savoury dishes across Middle Eastern, Indian, and Mexican cuisines. Botanically, cinnamon refers to the trees themselves, chiefly Ceylon cinnamon and the stronger-flavoured cassia often sold under the same name. Historically, cinnamon was extraordinarily valuable: ancient Egyptians used it in embalming, medieval traders guarded its origins in legend, and European demand for it helped drive the age of exploration. Today the word also serves as a colour term for a warm reddish brown, though this use is secondary to its culinary meaning.
An aromatic spice made from the dried inner bark of trees of the genus Cinnamomum, sold as rolled quills (sticks) or as a ground powder.
"Add a teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the batter."
The tree itself, especially Cinnamomum verum (true or Ceylon cinnamon) native to Sri Lanka, or the closely related Cinnamomum cassia.
"The plantation was planted with rows of young cinnamon trees."
A moderate yellowish-brown colour resembling the shade of the spice.
"She painted the hallway a soft cinnamon brown."
The plural is uncommon in everyday usage and appears mainly in botanical or commercial contexts referring to several species or specimens of the tree rather than quantities of the spice.
"The herbarium holds pressed specimens of several Asian cinnamons."
For centuries, cinnamon was so prized that nations went to war over its trade routes — at times it was worth more than silver.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of cinnamon
The English word 'cinnamon' derives from the Greek 'kinnámon', which Greek writers themselves borrowed from an earlier Semitic source, likely Phoenician or Hebrew ('qinnamon'). It passed into English via Latin and Old French during the Middle Ages, when the spice was already a prized commodity traded across the Mediterranean. The same Semitic root underlies related forms in other European languages, such as Italian 'canella' and French 'cannelle', which derive through Latin 'canna' ('tube' or 'reed') from the tubelike shape of the bark quills.
Related word forms
How cinnamon is actually used
Cinnamon is a common, neutral word used in both everyday cooking contexts and more formal writing about cuisine, botany, and history. What is labelled 'cinnamon' in many supermarkets outside Sri Lanka is often actually cassia, a related but stronger-flavoured spice; true cinnamon (Ceylon cinnamon) is milder and more delicate. The plural 'cinnamons' is rare and generally limited to botanical contexts referring to multiple species or plants.
Easily confused with cinnamon
Cassia is a closely related spice from a different Cinnamomum species that is often sold as cinnamon but has a stronger, more pungent flavour.
Cinnabar is a bright red mineral ore of mercury; despite the similar spelling it has nothing to do with the spice cinnamon.