What does zedoary mean?
Zedoary is a noun for the aromatic underground rhizome of Curcuma zedoaria, a tropical member of the ginger family. The rhizome is dried and used as a spice, especially in South and Southeast Asian culinary and traditional medicinal practices, and it has also long been valued in perfumery. Its flavor is warm, slightly bitter, and resinous, with a pronounced aromatic quality, making it useful in spice blends, pickling, and savory dishes. Zedoary should not be confused with turmeric, although the plants are related and both are called curcumas; turmeric generally comes from Curcuma longa and is more familiar as the source of bright yellow curry powder. Zedoary is more aromatic and less intensely colored. The word is chiefly found in specialist culinary, botanical, and herbal contexts, so readers encountering it should understand it as both the plant and the dried rhizome sold as a spice.
nounThe aromatic dried rhizome of Curcuma zedoaria, a tropical plant in the ginger family, used as a spice and in traditional medicine and perfumery. The word can also refer to the plant itself.
- The aromatic dried rhizome of Curcuma zedoaria, used as a spice and as an ingredient in some traditional medicinal and perfumery preparations.
- The tropical ginger-family plant that produces this rhizome.
"The cook ground the zedoary with black pepper and cardamom for a fragrant rice dish."
"A pinch of ground zedoary gave the pickle an unexpectedly warm, floral aroma."
"Zedoary is one of the aromatic roots used in some traditional Ayurvedic preparations."
Usually used as an uncountable mass noun when referring to the bulk spice; the plural is possible for individual rhizomes.
"Several zedoaries were sliced and laid out to dry."
Zedoary is a ginger-family rhizome prized less for heat than for its intensely aromatic, slightly camphor-like scent.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of zedoary
The English word comes through Portuguese zedoário and the Latinized botanical form zedoarium, ultimately drawing on a Malayalam word for the plant or its rhizome. Despite its botanical relationship to ginger and turmeric, its name is not etymologically connected to the English words for those plants.
Related word forms
How zedoary is actually used
Zedoary is a specialist word encountered chiefly in botanical, culinary, traditional-herbal, and perfumery contexts. It is usually treated as an uncountable mass noun when referring to the dried spice, although the plural zedoaries is possible.
Easily confused with zedoary
Zedoary comes from Curcuma zedoaria and is valued chiefly for its strong aroma, whereas turmeric comes from Curcuma longa and is valued chiefly for its bright yellow-orange color.
Ginger comes from Zingiber officinale and has a sharper, more pungent flavor, while zedoary has a warmer, more resinous and camphor-like aroma.