onion

[ uhn-yuh n ]

/ ˈʌn yən /

noun

a plant, Allium cepa, of the amaryllis family, having an edible, succulent, pungent bulb.

any of certain similar plants.

the bulb of the onion plant.

the flavor or odor of this bulb.

Slang. a person: He's a tough onion.

adjective

containing or cooked with onions: onion soup.

of, relating to, or resembling an onion.

Idioms for onion

know one's onions, Slang. to know one's subject or business thoroughly; be capable or proficient.

Origin of onion

1325–75; Middle English onyon < Old French oignon < Latin ūniōn- (stem of ūniō) a unity, large pearl, onion; see union

OTHER WORDS FROM onion

on·ion·like, adjective on·ion·y, adjective

Words nearby onion

ongoings, oni, onie, onigiri, oniomania, onion, onion dome, onion fly, onion rings, onion snow, onion weed

Example sentences from the Web for onion

Combine the beans and onion sauce in a 9x9-inch casserole dish and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Make Carla Hall’s Crispy Shallot Green Bean Casserole |Carla Hall |December 27, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Onion routers refers to the TOR network, a system that allows users to mask their location and communicate anonymously online.

ISIS Keeps Getting Better at Dodging U.S. Spies |Shane Harris, Noah Shachtman |November 14, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Instead, it reminded me of a headline that once ran in The Onion: “Drunken Man Makes Interesting Point About Society.”

Karen Armstrong’s New Rule: Religion Isn’t Responsible for Violence |Patricia Pearson |October 29, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
I confess a particular weakness for his chocolate biscuits and pork pate with onion marmalade.

Imagining Prince Charles as King Makes All of Britain Wish They Could Leave Like Scotland |Clive Irving |September 17, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

Rub pork loin with paprika, Cajun seasoning, parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, sugar, salt, and pepper.

Epic Meal Empire’s Meat Monstrosities: From the Bacon Spider to the Cinnabattleship |Harley Morenstein |July 26, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Chop fine a large Bermuda onion, cover with water, and cook until tender.

The Hotel St. Francis Cook Book |Victor Hirtzler
Scald one quart of milk, with half an onion and a stalk of celery; strain into a pitcher and keep hot if convenient.

Salads, Sandwiches and Chafing-Dish Dainties |Janet McKenzie Hill
Arrange the fillets on a dish, pour a little of the broth over them, and add the onion and parsley.

The Cook's Decameron: A Study in Taste: |Mrs. W. G. Waters
Clear the gravy from the fat, and put into it four ounces of boiled rice, an onion stuck with cloves, and a blade of mace.

The Cook and Housekeeper's Complete and Universal Dictionary; Including a System of Modern Cookery, in all Its Various Branches, |Mary Eaton
First cousin to Archie is the onion, otherwise the flaming rocket.

Cavalry of the Clouds |Alan Bott

British Dictionary definitions for onion

onion

/ (ˈʌnjən) /

noun

an alliaceous plant, Allium cepa, having greenish-white flowers: cultivated for its rounded edible bulb

the bulb of this plant, consisting of concentric layers of white succulent leaf bases with a pungent odour and taste

any of several related plants similar to A. cepa, such as A. fistulosum (Welsh onion)

know one's onions British slang to be fully acquainted with a subject

Derived forms of onion

oniony, adjective

Word Origin for onion

C14: via Anglo-Norman from Old French oignon, from Latin unio onion, related to union

Idioms and Phrases with onion

onion

see know one's stuff (onions).

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

onion

noun

adjective

Idioms for onion

Origin of onion

OTHER WORDS FROM onion

Words nearby onion

Example sentences from the Web for onion

British Dictionary definitions for onion

noun

Derived forms of onion

Word Origin for onion

Idioms and Phrases with onion

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

onion

noun

adjective

Idioms for onion

Origin of onion

OTHER WORDS FROM onion

Words nearby onion

Example sentences from the Web for onion

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for onion

noun

Derived forms of onion

Word Origin for onion

Idioms and Phrases with onion

British Dictionary definitions for onion