Kamoun
/kəˈmuːn/noun
A cumin seed or spice, especially in North African and Middle Eastern usage.
Did you know?Cumin seeds have been found in ancient Egyptian contexts, where the spice was used as food, medicine, and possibly in funerary preparations.
Etymological Timeline
2nd Millennium BCE
Akkadian
kamūnu
“Cumin, a pungent aromatic seed used as a spice and medicinal plant.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
κύμινον (kyminon)
“Cumin; the aromatic seed known across the eastern Mediterranean.”
Classical Latin
Latin
cuminum
“Cumin, borrowed from the Greek term.”
Medieval Arabic
Arabic
كَمُّون (kammūn)
“Cumin; the standard Arabic name for the spice.”
Modern English
English
kamoun
“A transliteration or borrowing used for cumin, particularly in descriptions of North African and Middle Eastern cuisine.”