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noun

oregano

O-rih-gah-noh

Oregano (noun) means a fragrant herb, related to mint, whose leaves are widely used to season savory dishes, especially in Italian and Mediterranean cooking. Example: “She sprinkled dried oregano over the tomato sauce.”

noun
1
A fragrant herb, related to mint, whose leaves are widely used to season savory dishes, especially in Italian and Mediterranean cooking.
"She sprinkled dried oregano over the tomato sauce."
"Fresh oregano has a much stronger flavor than the dried version."

How to use oregano

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA common cooking herb with a strong, earthy flavor, used in Italian and Greek dishes especially.

Common pairings
dried oregano fresh oregano a pinch of oregano

Word forms

oreganos plural

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She sprinkled dried _____ over the tomato sauce.

Etymology

Borrowed in the 18th century from Spanish orégano, ultimately from Greek oríganon.

Origin: Spanish · First attested 1700

Class of 1700 oregano joined the language around 1700.
See the full Class of 1700 →
marjoram pot marjoram winter sweet wild marjoram

Related words

Rhymes for oregano

See all rhymes for oregano →

Frequently asked questions

What does “oregano” mean?

The word “oregano” means a fragrant herb, related to mint, whose leaves are widely used to season savory dishes, especially in Italian and Mediterranean cooking. In plain terms, a common cooking herb with a strong, earthy flavor, used in Italian and Greek dishes especially.

How do you pronounce “oregano”?

“Oregano” is pronounced O-rih-gah-noh (/əˈɹɛɡənoʊ/ in IPA).

How do you use “oregano” in a sentence?

Here is “oregano” used in a sentence: “She sprinkled dried oregano over the tomato sauce.”

What part of speech is “oregano”?

“Oregano” is a noun.

Where does the word “oregano” come from?

The word “oregano” dates back to around 1700 and comes from Spanish. Borrowed in the 18th century from Spanish orégano, ultimately from Greek oríganon.

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