Cinnamon Definition & Meaning

American

British

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Synonyms cinnamon American [sin-uh-muhn] / ˈsɪn ə mən /

noun

1. the aromatic inner bark of any of several East Indian trees belonging to the genus Cinnamonum, of the laurel family, especially the bark of C. zeylanicum Ceylon cinnamon, used as a spice, or that of C. loureirii Saigon cinnamon, used in medicine as a cordial and carminative.

2. a tree yielding such bark.

3. any allied or similar tree.

4. a common culinary spice of dried rolled strips of this bark, often made into a powder.

5. cassia.

6. a yellowish or reddish brown.

adjective

1. (of food) containing or flavored with cinnamon.

2. reddish-brown or yellowish-brown.

cinnamon British / ˈsɪnəmən, ˌsɪnəˈmɒnɪk /

noun

1. a tropical Asian lauraceous tree, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, having aromatic yellowish-brown bark

2. the spice obtained from the bark of this tree, used for flavouring food and drink

3. an E Asian lauraceous tree, Cinnamomum loureirii, the bark of which is used as a cordial and to relieve flatulence

4. any of several similar or related trees or their bark See cassia

5. 1. a light yellowish brown

   2. (as modifier)

      a cinnamon coat

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

• cinnamic adjective
• cinnamoned adjective
• cinnamonic adjective

Etymology

Origin of cinnamon

1400–50; < Latin < Late Greek kínnamon < Semitic (compare Hebrew qinnāmōn ); replacing late Middle English cinamome < Middle French < Latin cinnamōmum < Greek kinnámōmon < Semitic as above

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The coffee shop had a pink sign detailing their evening specials of cinnamon rolls and frothy coffee drinks.

From Literature

"The first thing he became known for was baking cinnamon rolls. He also made great Easter cakes," his mother said.

From Barron's

“It’s cinnamon apple. We have so much to celebrate, right?”

From Literature

Especially notorious is lead chromate mixed in with cinnamon to achieve a bright colour or bulk out the powders.

From BBC

Their visceral cream of pistachio, hazelnut, dark or white chocolate, lemon, raspberry, cinnamon apple, caramel, or speculous.

From Salon

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.