noun A2 Elementary Common

curry

KUH-ree

Curry (noun) means a dish, originally from South Asian cooking, made with a spiced sauce. Example: “We ordered a chicken curry and some rice.”

noun

A dish, originally from South Asian cooking, made with a spiced sauce.

"We ordered a chicken curry and some rice."

"His grandmother makes a fiery lamb curry."

verb

To try to win someone's favor through flattery — almost always in the phrase "curry favor."

"He kept complimenting the boss, clearly trying to curry favor."

"She donated generously to curry favor with the committee."

To groom a horse by rubbing it down, typically with a special comb.

"The stable hand curried the mare every morning."

How to Use Curry

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither a spiced dish, or (as a verb, in "curry favor") trying to get on someone's good side.

Common mistake

"Curry favor" is the only common surviving verb use — don't confuse it with "carry" favor, a common misspelling.

Common pairings

chicken curry curry favor with curry powder

Word Forms

curried past tense, curried past tense, curried past tense, curried past tense, curries plural, curries singular, curries singular, curries singular, curries singular

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

We ordered a chicken _____ and some rice.

Etymology

The food sense comes from Tamil kaṟi via French, first appearing in English cookbooks in the 1300s-1700s. The "curry favor" sense comes from an unrelated Middle English word meaning to groom or dress down a horse.

Origin: French · First attested 1300

Class of 1300 curry joined the language around 1300.

against bum ha satchel sturdy

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Synonyms

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groom flatter ingratiate fawn

Related Words

deer satisfy tan benedict camel offend groom flatter

Rhymes for curry

hurry furry slurry blurry flurry scurry

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does “curry” mean?

The word “curry” means a dish, originally from South Asian cooking, made with a spiced sauce. In plain terms, either a spiced dish, or (as a verb, in "curry favor") trying to get on someone's good side.

How do you pronounce “curry”?

“Curry” is pronounced KUH-ree (/ˈkʌ.ɹi/ in IPA).

How do you use “curry” in a sentence?

Here is “curry” used in a sentence: “We ordered a chicken curry and some rice.”

What part of speech is “curry”?

Depending on how it is used, “curry” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “curry” come from?

The word “curry” dates back to around 1300 and comes from French. The food sense comes from Tamil kaṟi via French, first appearing in English cookbooks in the 1300s-1700s. The "curry favor" sense comes from an unrelated Middle English word meaning to groom or dress down a horse.

Is “curry” a common word?

“Curry” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

How many meanings does “curry” have?

“Curry” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a dish, originally from South Asian cooking, made with a spiced sauce.

Is the 'curry' in 'curry favour' the same as the food?

No. The 'curry' in 'curry favour' is a verb meaning to try to win someone's favour through flattery, unrelated to the spiced dish. The two are separate words that happen to be spelled the same.

What is the difference between a 'curry' and a 'stew'?

A curry is a dish, originally from South Asian cooking, made with a spiced sauce, while a stew is a more general dish of ingredients slowly cooked in liquid. Curries are defined by their blend of spices, whereas stews are defined by the slow-cooking method.

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