curry

5 synonyms for curry, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

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

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

dress

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

groom flatter

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

ingratiate fawn

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

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

“We ordered a chicken curry and some rice.”

groom flatter ingratiate fawn

2. 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.”

groom dress

How to use curry

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

chicken curry curry favor with curry powder

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.

Full origin of curry →

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.

People also searched

dress groom flatter fawn ingratiate

Nearby words

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