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
1
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."
"I made a mild vegetable curry for the whole family."
verb
1
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."
"The new employee tried to curry favour by arriving early every day."
2
To groom a horse by rubbing it down, typically with a special comb.
"The stable hand curried the mare every morning."
"Before the show, she curried the pony until its coat shone."
"Grooms curry horses to loosen dirt and sweat from the coat."
How to use curry
Learner’s notesIn 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
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Word forms
- Plural
- curries
- Third person singular
- curries
- Past tense
- curried
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.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for curry
See all rhymes for 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.
