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Glite Dictionary
black caraway

black caraway

7.5
Small dark seeds from a Mediterranean plant that people use as a spice like caraway
  • noun
translation icon : comino negro
  • Traditionally, black caraway is sprinkled on top of naan bread in South Asian cuisine.

Examples

  • I added black caraway seeds to the salad for extra flavor.

  • The recipe calls for a teaspoon of black caraway to add a spicy flavor.

  • Many people confuse black caraway seeds with regular caraway seeds, but they are from different plants.

  • The recipe calls for black caraway as a key ingredient.

  • Many people confuse black caraway seeds with other spices, but they have a distinct, pungent flavor.

  • The recipe features black caraway as a spice to enhance the dish's taste.

  • In Mediterranean cooking, black caraway seeds are often used to season bread and pastries.

Synonyms

Nigella sativa
vsblack caraway
  • Specialized
1 8.5

A plant with strong tasting seeds used as a spice like caraway

is the common cooking name rather than the scientific plant name
Roman coriander
vsblack caraway
8.3

An herb from the Mediterranean with small strong seeds used as a spice like caraway

is the general cooking name rather than a regional label

Surface Forms

black caraway singular
black caraways plural

Morphology

black + caraway

This is a straightforward adjective + noun composition: 'black' modifies 'caraway', so a learner who knows both words can infer it denotes a black variety or type of the caraway-like spice (i.e. the herb/seeds). The pattern is a common, cross-linguistic noun modification construction and does not involve idiomatic or metaphorical meaning, so it is predictable to a B1 learner.

Etymology

Black caraway gets its name from the small black seeds that look a little like regular caraway seeds and give a similar spicy taste. So the name is an easy memory hint: black tells you the seed color and 'caraway' tells you these seeds are used as a spice 'like caraway'.