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Glite Dictionary
dill seed

dill seed

3.0
A small brown seed from the dill plant used to add flavor to food
  • noun
  • /dɪl siːd/
translation icon : semilla de eneldo
  • For a refreshing salad, include some chopped cucumber and a tablespoon of dill seed.
  • dill seed and peppercorns
  • a teaspoon of dill seed
  • dill seed and salt

Examples

  • The recipe calls for a teaspoon of dill seed.

  • Pickled cucumbers are often made with garlic and dill seed for extra aroma.

  • She sprinkled some dill seed over the roasted potatoes before serving.

  • The recipe calls for a teaspoon of dill seed to enhance the flavor.

  • I added dill seed to the bread dough.

  • To make the dish flavorful, add a teaspoon of dill seed to the sauce.

  • She sprinkled dill seed on her roasted vegetables for an extra kick of flavor.

Surface Forms

dill seed singular
dill seeds plural

Morphology

dill + seed

The meaning 'the seed of the dill plant' is directly and literally derived from combining 'dill' (an herb) with 'seed' (a plant part); there is no idiomatic or metaphorical shift. This noun+noun compounding pattern for plant parts is common and cross-linguistically transparent, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily understand it.

Etymology

Dill seed is the simple name for the tiny dill seed of the herb, a small seed with a strong, slightly sweet taste that people use when cooking. Because cooks often put these seeds into pickles and soups to 'flavor' food, dill seed means 'the seed of the dill plant, used as a seasoning'.