mustard

mustard — noun

1. a savoury paste, typically yellow or brown in colour, prepared by grinding musta

1.nounB1
Definition

a savoury paste, typically yellow or brown in colour, prepared by grinding mustard plant seeds and known for its sharp, spicy taste — commonly eaten cold beside meat, spread in sandwiches, or used as a cooking ingredient.

Example

Erik spread a layer of mustard on his turkey sandwich before adding the lettuce.

spread mustard on [food]

Tendai added a spoonful of wholegrain mustard to the vinegar dressing.

Common collocations
  • hot mustard
  • mild mustard
  • English mustard
  • Dijon mustard
  • wholegrain mustard
  • mustard powder
  • honey mustard
Synonyms
  • condiment

    a more general term covering ketchup, mayonnaise, relish, etc.; less specific than mustard

  • dressing

    usually refers to thinner sauces for salads, not thick mustard

Grammar Patterns

[adjective] mustard

spoonful / jar of mustard

Usage Note

Mustard as a condiment is uncountable. You say 'some mustard' or 'a jar of mustard,' not 'a mustard' when referring to the sauce itself.

Common Mistakes

I put some mustards on my hot dog.
I put some mustard on my hot dog.
'mustard' is uncountable when referring to the sauce.

2. a plant with bright yellow flowers and small round seeds that are ground and mix

2.nounB2
Definition

a plant with bright yellow flowers and small round seeds that are ground and mixed with liquid to produce a spicy sauce; the leafy parts are also eaten as a vegetable in some cuisines.

Example

The field behind the barn was covered in mustard plants with bright yellow flowers.

mustard plants in bloom

Farmers in this region grow mustard for both the seeds and the edible leaves.

Common collocations
  • mustard seed
  • mustard flower
  • mustard greens
  • wild mustard
  • mustard field
  • yellow mustard blossoms
Synonyms
  • mustard greens

    refers specifically to the leafy part of the plant when used as a vegetable

  • brassica

    the broader botanical genus that includes mustard, cabbage, and broccoli; too technical for everyday use

Usage Note

The edible leaves of the mustard plant are called 'mustard greens' and are cooked as a vegetable, especially in Southern American and Asian cuisines.

3. a brownish-yellow colour that looks like the shade of mustard sauce; a warm, mut

3.nounB2
Definition

a brownish-yellow colour that looks like the shade of mustard sauce; a warm, muted yellow with brown undertones.

Example

Defne chose a scarf in a warm mustard shade to match her autumn coat.

The kitchen walls were painted a soft shade of mustard that felt cosy.

a soft shade of [colour]

Common collocations
  • shade of mustard
  • tone of mustard
  • mustard yellow
  • warm mustard
  • pale mustard
  • deep mustard
Synonyms
  • ochre

    a similar earthy yellow-brown, but ochre comes from natural clay pigments rather than the food name

  • amber

    a warmer, more orange tone than mustard

Grammar Patterns

shade of mustard

tone of mustard

mustard — adjective

Word family

  • mustard-coloured
    adjectiveB2
  • mustard seed
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Mustard is one type of condiment, which is a broad category for flavourings added to food after cooking. Condiment is the most general word — ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, and soy sauce are all condiments. Relish is a chunky, sweet or sour condiment made from chopped vegetables or fruit, while mustard is smooth or seedy and sharp. Dressing usually refers to thinner, pourable mixtures used on salads (vinaigrette, ranch), not thick pastes like mustard. Sauce is the broadest term of all — it covers everything from tomato sauce to chocolate sauce, and unlike condiment, it can be cooked into a dish. For example: 'I put mustard on my hot dog, my brother prefers relish, and our friend just wants ketchup — the diner has a whole row of condiments on the counter.'

condimentrelishdressing ↗sauce ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • mustard seed
  • mustard powder
  • mustard gas
  • mustard greens

Adverbs

  • very hot
  • quite mild
  • strongly flavoured

Phrases

  • a jar of mustard
  • a spoonful of mustard
  • a dollop of mustard
  • shade of mustard
  • tone of mustard

Prepositions

  • with mustard
  • mustard on
  • mustard in

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'mustard' comes from Old French 'moustarde,' which was made by mixing ground mustard seeds with 'must' (the fresh, unfermented juice of grapes). The Latin word 'mustum' (meaning 'new wine') is the root. The name originally referred to the prepared condiment, and only later was it used for the plant itself. The word entered English in the late 13th century.