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
1
A North African food made from tiny steamed granules of crushed semolina wheat, often served with stew or vegetables.
"Karou took the plate of couscous and vegetables."
— Laini Taylor, Days of Blood & Starlight (2012)
"She served the lamb stew over a bed of couscous."
"Couscous cooks much faster than rice."
How to use couscous
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA small-grained North African staple food, similar to a grain but made from semolina.
Common pairings
bowl of couscous
couscous salad
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like couscous.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- couscouses
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
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.
Rhymes for couscous
See all rhymes for couscous →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.
