Illustration of mustard
- mustard 2
1
a
: a pungent yellow condiment consisting of the pulverized seeds of various mustard plants (such as Sinapis alba, Brassica juncea, and B. nigra) either dry or made into a paste or sauce (as by mixing with water or vinegar) and sometimes adulterated with other substances (such as turmeric) or mixed with spices
b
: the seed of a mustard plant used as a spice and in medicine as a stimulant and diuretic, an emetic, or a counterirritant
c
slang
: zest
2
: any of several herbs (genera Brassica and Sinapis of the family Brassicaceae synonym Cruciferae, the mustard family) with lobed leaves, yellow flowers, and linear beaked pods
3
: a dark to moderate yellow
Examples of mustard in a Sentence
Would you like some mustard on your hot dog?
Recent Examples on the Web
Beyond the reception area of the six-floor Art Deco building—a space decorated with a mustard leather sofa and walnut lounge chairs upholstered in black leather or blue velvet—is a spiral terrazzo staircase that guests can use to access the hotel’s suites.
—
Michaela Trimble, Vogue, 13 July 2025
That is the key question because, in football, raw pace alone does not always cut the mustard.
—Steve Madeley, New York Times, 10 July 2025
The wraps can be topped with a classic, spicy or honey mustard sauce.
—Raven Brunner, People.com, 9 July 2025
Suffice to say that its lengthy list of ingredients includes (among others) celery salt, paprika, mustard powder, cayenne and black pepper, plus hints of warm spices, such as cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.
—Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for mustard
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Michaela Trimble, Vogue, 13 July 2025
That is the key question because, in football, raw pace alone does not always cut the mustard.
—Steve Madeley, New York Times, 10 July 2025
The wraps can be topped with a classic, spicy or honey mustard sauce.
—Raven Brunner, People.com, 9 July 2025
Suffice to say that its lengthy list of ingredients includes (among others) celery salt, paprika, mustard powder, cayenne and black pepper, plus hints of warm spices, such as cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.
—Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for mustard
Cite this Entry
“Mustard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mustard. Accessed 20 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
mustard
noun
mus·tard
ˈməs-tərd 
1
: any of several yellow-flowered herbs related to the turnips and cabbages
2
a
: a yellow sharp-tasting condiment consisting of the crushed seeds of various mustard plants either dry or made into a paste or sauce
b
: the seeds of a mustard plant
Medical Definition
mustard
noun
mus·tard
ˈməs-tərd
1
: a pungent yellow condiment consisting of the pulverized seeds of the black mustard or sometimes the white mustard either dry or made into a paste and serving as a stimulant and diuretic or in large doses as an emetic and as a counterirritant when applied to the skin as a poultice
2
: any of several herbs (genus Brassica of the family Cruciferae, the mustard family) with lobed leaves, yellow flowers, and linear beaked pods see black mustard sense 1, white mustard
3
a
b
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