cassia

noun

cas·​sia ˈka-shə How to pronounce cassia (audio)
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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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 See all Example Sentences for cassia 

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

Dictionary Entries Near cassia

Cite this Entry

“Cassia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cassia. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

cassia

noun
cas·​sia ˈkash-ə How to pronounce cassia (audio)
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

Last Updated: - Definition revised
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