garlic
garlic
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "garlic" is /ˈɡɑːrlɪk/.
First syllable (/ˈɡɑːr/):
/ɡ/ - voiced velar stop (as in "go")
/ɑːr/ - open back unrounded vowel followed by an 'r' sound (as in "car")
Second syllable (/lɪk/):
/l/ - voiced alveolar lateral approximant (as in "light")
/ɪ/ - near-close near-front unrounded vowel (as in "kit")
/k/ - voiceless velar stop (as in "cat")
Word Form Variations
The word "garlic" is primarily a noun and has the following common word form variations:
Singular Noun: garlic (e.g., "I bought a head of garlic.")
Plural Noun: garlic (In common usage, "garlic" is often treated as a mass noun, so the plural form is the same. You might say "two cloves of garlic" rather than "two garlics.")
Adjective: garlic (e.g., "garlic bread," "garlic flavor")
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
A pungent-smelling, edible bulb of the Allium sativum plant, composed of several individual cloves encased in a papery skin, widely used as a culinary ingredient to add strong flavor to dishes.
Synonyms: Allium sativum, stinking rose (informal)
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms as it's a specific plant/food item.)
Adjective
Relating to, containing, or flavored with garlic.
Synonyms: garlicky, alliacious
Antonyms: ungarlicked, plain
Examples of Use
Books: "He reached for a clove of garlic, its papery skin crackling softly as he peeled it." (From a contemporary cookbook, likely Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat, published April 2017)
Newspapers: "Rising food prices are hitting consumers hard, with staples like onions and garlic seeing significant jumps." (The New York Times, February 2024)
Online Publications: "This simple recipe for roasted garlic pasta is a weeknight lifesaver." (From a food blog like Cookie and Kate, accessed March 2025)
Entertainment Mediums (Film): In the film Goodfellas (1990), Paulie Cicero famously slices garlic so thin with a razor blade while in prison, demonstrating its importance in Italian-American cuisine.
Entertainment Platforms (Television Series): "Add a generous amount of minced garlic to the pan and sauté until fragrant." (From a cooking show like Barefoot Contessa, episode airing on Food Network, December 2023)
General Public Discourse: "I can't stand the smell of raw garlic on someone's breath." (Common conversational remark heard in everyday interactions)
General Public Discourse: "This dish needs more garlic to really bring out the flavors." (A common comment among home cooks or at a restaurant table)
Online Publications (Health/Wellness): "Studies suggest that garlic may have properties that support cardiovascular health." (From a health website like WebMD, accessed January 2025)
10 Quotes Using Garlic
"For thy sake, tobacco, I would do anything but quit thee – even give up garlic bread." (Attributed to Charles Lamb)
"What is a home without garlic?" (Proverb)
"He who eats garlic for a long time smells of garlic." (Japanese Proverb)
"If you want to live a long life, you must eat garlic every day." (Korean Proverb)
"A life without garlic is a life half-lived." (Common culinary saying)
"There is no such thing as too much garlic." (Popular cooking adage)
"To a brave man, good and bad luck are like his left and right hand; he uses both. He uses the bad with garlic and the good with sugar." (Persian Proverb)
"Garlic is as good as ten mothers." (Old Chinese Proverb)
"Kiss me with garlic breath." (A playful phrase often used in informal settings)
"The only thing better than garlic is more garlic." (A common sentiment among chefs and food lovers)
Etymology
The word "garlic" comes from Old English, specifically from the word "gārlēac."
"gār" meant "spear." This part of the word likely referred to the shape of the individual cloves of garlic, which can look a bit like spearheads, or possibly the sharp, tapering leaves of the plant.
"lēac" meant "leek." Leeks are another type of plant in the same family as garlic (the Allium family), which also includes onions, chives, and shallots.
So, when the word was first used in Old English (before the 12th century), "gārlēac" literally meant "spear-leek." It was used to describe this specific plant with its pungent bulb and spear-like characteristics, differentiating it from other "leek"-like plants.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Garlic
To smell of garlic: To have a strong odor, especially from having eaten garlic.
A clove of garlic: A single segment of a garlic bulb.
Garlic breath: The strong odor on one's breath after consuming garlic.
To put garlic in everything: To use garlic very frequently or in large quantities in cooking.
To ward off with garlic: (Figurative) To deter or repel something, often playfully referencing the mythical ability of garlic to ward off vampires.
Garlic press: A kitchen utensil used to crush garlic cloves.
Roasted garlic: Garlic cloves that have been cooked, often whole, until soft and sweet.
To take a leek at something: (Playing on the "leek" etymology and the similarity in sound) To take a quick look or peek at something. (Original, playing on etymology).
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of garlic from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
