: a pungent yellow condiment consisting of the pulverized seeds of various mustard plants (such as Sinapis alba, Brassica juncea, and B. nigra) either dry or made into a paste or sauce (as by mixing with water or vinegar) and sometimes adulterated with other substances (such as turmeric) or mixed with spices
b
: the seed of a mustard plant used as a spice and in medicine as a stimulant and diuretic, an emetic, or a counterirritant
: any of several herbs (genera Brassica and Sinapis of the family Brassicaceae synonym Cruciferae, the mustard family) with lobed leaves, yellow flowers, and linear beaked pods
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Classic Deviled Eggs The filling for this no-frills deviled egg recipe is made with just the basics: mayonnaise, mustard, and sweet pickle relish.—Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2025 The actress added mustard yellow pumps and a pair of sunglasses.—Catherine Santino, People.com, 18 Apr. 2025 In a large bowl, mix vinegar and mustard until well combined.—Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2025 The Easter menu includes cauliflower soup with kalamata olives, a cheese fritter with salmon tartare, white beans with shrimp, and a dry-aged picanha with radish and mustard.—Amber Love Bond, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mustard
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Anglo-French mustarde, from must must, from Latin mustum
: a pungent yellow condiment consisting of the pulverized seeds of the black mustard or sometimes the white mustard either dry or made into a paste and serving as a stimulant and diuretic or in large doses as an emetic and as a counterirritant when applied to the skin as a poultice
2
: any of several herbs (genus Brassica of the family Cruciferae, the mustard family) with lobed leaves, yellow flowers, and linear beaked pods see black mustardsense 1, white mustard
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