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1
or less commonly cassia cinnamon
: the dried, aromatic bark of several tropical trees (genus Cinnamomum) that yields a reddish brown to dark brown spice sold as and used similarly to true cinnamon but having a usually stronger, more spicy character
also
: the powdered spice produced from cassia bark see indonesian cinnamon
2
: any of a genus (Cassia) of leguminous herbs, shrubs, and trees of warm regions
Examples of cassia in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The women in the arena threw nard and cassia and cardamom into the ring and all the remaining animals fell asleep.
—Wyatt Mason, Harper's Magazine, 26 Apr. 2024
Cinnamon is made from the bark of two trees: Cinnamomum verum for cinnamon sticks, and Cinnamomum cassia for ground cinnamon.
—Serina Desalvio, Discover Magazine, 16 Dec. 2023
Indian bay leaves, or tej patta or cassia bay leaves, come from the Indian cassia tree and boast citrusy and spiced notes, Cook’s Illustrated says.
—Becky Krystal, Washington Post, 23 Jan. 2023
Dark, sweet cassia is typically sourced from Vietnam, Indonesia, and China and is the variety most commonly found in American supermarkets in ground or stick form.
—Rebecca Firkser, Bon Appétit, 20 Mar. 2023
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Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Old English, from Latin, from Greek kassia, of Semitic origin; akin to Hebrew qĕṣīʽāh cassia
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of cassia was
before the 12th century
Phrases Containing cassia
Dictionary Entries Near cassia
Cite this Entry
“Cassia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cassia. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
cassia
noun
cas·sia
ˈkash-ə
1
: the dried coarse bark of any of several cinnamons
2
: any of a genus of herbs, shrubs, and trees of the legume family which grow in warm regions
Medical Definition
cassia
noun
cas·sia
ˈkash-ə, especially sense 2 ˈkas-ē-ə
1
: the dried, aromatic bark of several tropical trees of the genus Cinnamomum (such as Chinese cinnamon) that yields a reddish brown to dark brown spice sold as and used similarly to true cinnamon but having a usually stronger, more spicy character
also
: the powdered spice produced from cassia bark
2
capitalized
: a genus of leguminous herbs, shrubs, and trees that are native to warm regions and have pinnate leaves and nearly regular flowers see senna
3
More from Merriam-Webster on cassia
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cassia
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