sesame

Meaning

Noun

• A tropical Asian plant (Sesamum indicum) bearing small flat seeds used as food and as a source of oil.
• The seed of this plant.

Origin

• From Middle English sysame, from Latin sīsamum, sēsamum, from Ancient Greek σήσαμον, from Aramaic שושמא, shortening of שומשומא, from Akkadian šamaššammum, compound of šamnum and šammum. The modern pronunciation is influenced by Ancient Greek σησάμη, variant of σήσαμον.