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Glite Dictionary
Sesamum indicum

Sesamum indicum

5.8
A plant that people grow for small edible seeds used for food and oil
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : sésamo indio
  • The oil extracted from Sesamum indicum is used in cooking and cosmetics.

Examples

  • The seeds of Sesamum indicum are very nutritious.

  • Sesamum indicum is widely grown in tropical regions for its highly valued seeds.

  • Scientists studied the genetic diversity of Sesamum indicum to improve crop yields.

  • I love cooking with Sesamum indicum oil.

  • Sesamum indicum is cultivated globally for its nutritious seeds and oil.

  • The seeds of Sesamum indicum are often used in baked goods and salads.

  • Farmers grow Sesamum indicum to produce oil that is popular in many cuisines.

Synonyms

sesame
vsSesamum indicum
83 1.8

A plant farmers grow for its small seeds you can eat and its oil used in cooking

is the formal scientific name for the same plant
benne
vsSesamum indicum
  • US
1 9.9

A plant that grows sesame seeds used for food and oil

is the scientific species name rather than a regional label
benni
vsSesamum indicum
  • US
1 9.9

A plant that makes sesame seeds used for oil and food

is the standardized scientific name, not the local vernacular term
gingelly
vsSesamum indicum
  • Indian
9.9

A plant that makes sesame seeds used to make oil

is the formal scientific name rather than a regional name
benny
vsSesamum indicum
  • US
9.9

A tall plant that makes sesame seeds used for food and oil

is the formal species name rather than a local or colloquial name

Surface Forms

Sesamum indicum singular
Sesamum indicums plural

Morphology

Sesamum + indicum

The name is compositionally built from a genus name 'Sesamum' (sesame) and the species epithet 'indicum' (literally ‘of India’ in Latin), so the referent — a sesame plant/species — can be inferred from the parts. However, this is a scientific Latin binomial rather than ordinary English phraseology and relies on knowledge of taxonomic naming conventions and the Latin epithet, so the relation is not fully transparent to an average B1 learner.

Etymology

Sesamum indicum comes from old words: Sesamum is from Greek meaning 'sesame' and indicum is Latin meaning 'from India'. So the name simply means 'sesame from India', which is why it is used for the sesame plant.