onion

/ˈʌŋjɪn/noun

A round vegetable of the garlic family, made of strong-smelling layers, eaten cooked or raw and used to flavour food.

Example sentences

“Chopping onions always makes my eyes water.”
“Fry the onion in butter until it turns soft and golden.”

'Know your onions', dated British slang, means to know your subject thoroughly.

Related words

pepperA sharp-tasting spice made from the dried, fermented, unripe berries of the pepper plant.garlicA plant in the onion family whose strong-smelling bulb is widely used to flavor food.sugarA sweet crystalline substance made from sugar cane or sugar beet and added to food and drinks.herbA leafy green plant, or its leaves, used to add flavor to cooking.flourA fine powder made by grinding grain, especially wheat, or other foods such as potatoes, used for baking bread, cakes, and pastry.spiceA dried part of a plant with a strong smell or taste, added to food for flavor.