Onion Definition & Meaning

Home » How Do You Spell Onion » Onion Definition & Meaning

Maybe your like

  • American
  • British
  • More Idioms
  • Other Word Forms
  • Etymology
  • Examples
    • onion American [uhn-yuhn] / ˈʌn yən /

    noun

    1. a plant, Allium cepa, of the amaryllis family, having an edible, succulent, pungent bulb.

    2. any of certain similar plants.

    3. the bulb of the onion plant.

    4. the flavor or odor of this bulb.

    5. Slang. a person.

      He's a tough onion.

    adjective

    1. containing or cooked with onions.

      onion soup.

    2. of, relating to, or resembling an onion.

    idioms

    1. know one's onions, to know one's subject or business thoroughly; be capable or proficient.

    onion British / ˈʌnjən /

    noun

    1. an alliaceous plant, Allium cepa, having greenish-white flowers: cultivated for its rounded edible bulb

    2. the bulb of this plant, consisting of concentric layers of white succulent leaf bases with a pungent odour and taste

    3. any of several related plants similar to A. cepa, such as A. fistulosum (Welsh onion)

    4. slang to be fully acquainted with a subject

    "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 onion More Idioms

    1. see know one's stuff (onions).

    Other Word Forms

    • onionlike adjective
    • oniony adjective

    Etymology

    Origin of onion

    1325–75; Middle English onyon < Old French oignon < Latin ūniōn- (stem of ūniō ) a unity, large pearl, onion; union

    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.

    TJ’s knows that you can’t have turkey without gravy on the side, hence why they offer a “ready-to-use” Turkey Gravy seasoned with herbs, onion powder, garlic powder, turmeric extract and dried potato flakes.

    From Salon

    There isn’t a seafood counter, and a small “Georgia Grown” section offered mostly potatoes, onions and peanuts, though it will carry more items in the summer months.

    From The Wall Street Journal

    "We work hard to include vegetables like sweet peppers, onion and potatoes. This enables us to improve the taste and the nutritional value."

    From BBC

    There’s a rhythm to it, a small, absorbing joy in watching butter brown, garlic bloom, onions soften.

    From Salon

    Burgundy wine, beef demi-glace, sage and thyme complement the sweetness of the onions in this rich gravy.

    From The Wall Street Journal

    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.

    Tag » How Do You Spell Onion