noun

couscous

KUUS-kuus

Couscous (noun) means a North African food made from tiny steamed granules of crushed semolina wheat, often served with stew or vegetables. Example: “She served the lamb stew over a bed of couscous.”

noun

A North African food made from tiny steamed granules of crushed semolina wheat, often served with stew or vegetables.

"She served the lamb stew over a bed of couscous."

"Couscous cooks much faster than rice."

How to use couscous

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA small-grained North African staple food, similar to a grain but made from semolina.

Common pairings

bowl of couscous couscous salad

Word forms

couscouses plural

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She served the lamb stew over a bed of _____.

Etymology

Borrowed from French couscous, which came from Arabic kuskus, itself likely from a Berber language.

Origin: French

Rhymes for couscous

yous nous pious joyous heinous ominous curious anxious copious tenuous tedious spurious

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Frequently asked questions

What does “couscous” mean?

The word “couscous” means a North African food made from tiny steamed granules of crushed semolina wheat, often served with stew or vegetables. In plain terms, a small-grained North African staple food, similar to a grain but made from semolina.

How do you pronounce “couscous”?

“Couscous” is pronounced KUUS-kuus (/ˈkus.kus/ in IPA).

How do you use “couscous” in a sentence?

Here is “couscous” used in a sentence: “She served the lamb stew over a bed of couscous.”

What part of speech is “couscous”?

“Couscous” is a noun.

Where does the word “couscous” come from?

The word “couscous” comes from French. Borrowed from French couscous, which came from Arabic kuskus, itself likely from a Berber language.