Thyme

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /taɪm/

Definitions

1. A small perennial herbaceous plant prized for its aromatic leaves used in cooking and known for its potential health benefits in folk medicine
2. A culinary herb belonging to the mint family, valued for its fragrant foliage and used both as a seasoning for various dishes and as a traditional remedy for ailments
3. A low-growing herb native to the Mediterranean region, known for its pungent leaves that enhance flavor in cooking and are associated with various medicinal properties

Etymology: The herb's name comes from a Greek word that meant something close to "smoke" or "fumigation," and the plant was valued for its scent long before it was valued in the kitchen. Ancient Greek "thúmon" was the name for the plant, and the same root gave rise to "thymiama," incense. Burning aromatic herbs was a way of perfuming a space, and thyme was one of the plants used that way. The word then passed to Latin as "thymum" and on into Old French as "thym," which carried it into English in Middle English as "tyme." English already had a native name for the herb, Old English "boþen," but the borrowed word won out and displaced it. The spelling with a "y" has stayed, even though the pronunciation has changed considerably since the Middle Ages.

Synonyms: herb, seasoning, spice