What does "mustard" mean?
A plant of certain species of the genus Brassica, or of related genera (especially Sinapis alba, in the family Brassicaceae, with yellow flowers, and linear seed pods).
Mustard
/ˈmʌstəɹd/ adj, name, noun, slang
adj, name, noun, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A plant of certain species of the genus Brassica, or of related genera (especially Sinapis alba, in the family Brassicaceae, with yellow flowers, and linear seed pods).
- Grammar: mustard is listed as adj, name, noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: condiment, dijon, eagerness, golden yellow.
- Useful contrasts: blue, colorless.
- Usage evidence: I'd like to have mustard on the side.
How to use "mustard"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "mustard" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "mustard" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "mustard" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "mustard" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "mustard" is acting as adj, name, noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "condiment" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "mustard", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A plant of certain species of the genus Brassica, or of related genera (especially Sinapis alba, in the family Brassicaceae, with yellow flowers, and linear seed pods). uncountable, usually
- 2 leaves eaten as cooked greens wordnet
- 3 Powder or paste made from seeds of the mustard plant, and used as a condiment or a spice. uncountable, usually
"When the waitress brought the food, I asked whether she had any Dijon mustard."
- 4 pungent powder or paste prepared from ground mustard seeds wordnet
- 5 The leaves of the mustard plant, used as a salad. uncountable, usually
"Mustard and cress sandwiches."
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 any of several cruciferous plants of the genus Brassica wordnet
- 7 Dark yellow colour, the colour of mustard. uncountable, usually
- 8 One of a family of vesicants containing one or more 2-chloroethyl (C₂H₄Cl) groups, commonly used in chemical warfare and cancer chemotherapy. uncountable, usually
- 9 The tomalley of a crab, which resembles the condiment. uncountable, usually
- 10 Ellipsis of mustard gas. abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis, uncountable, usually
- 11 Energy, power (when throwing a baseball). colloquial, uncountable, usually
"He's left-handed and in his adulthood didn't have a baseball glove to call his own. He borrowed one of mine and just out of the car, still wearing his lab coat having worked an overnight shift, he taught himself to throw right-handed and put plenty of mustard on it."
Adjective
- 1 Of a dark yellow colour. not-comparable
"Everything about her year-old restaurant, from the minimalist menu (about a dozen items) with refreshingly drivel-free descriptions to the decor (unadorned warm mustard walls, unclothed bistro tables), reflects her love of bringing people to the table for good, simple food that's not eclipsed by bells and whistles."
- 2 Very good, or very skilled. not-comparable, slang
"My expectations of public services were nil, so any time within a month was fine by me. They did it in less than a week, which was mustard."
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Example
"I'd like to have mustard on the side."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "mustard"?
Common synonyms include: condiment, dijon, eagerness, golden yellow, herb, hotbed.
How do you use "mustard" in a sentence?
I'd like to have mustard on the side.
How do you pronounce "mustard"?
Pronounced /ˈmʌstəɹd/.
Etymology
From Middle English mustard, from Old French moustarde (French moutarde), from moust (“must”), from Latin mustum. Compare Saterland Frisian Muster (“mustard”), Dutch mosterd (“mustard”), German Low German Musterd (“mustard”), Icelandic mustarður (“mustard”). Displaced Middle English senep, from Old English senep, from Latin sināpi (“mustard”). Sometimes mistakenly thought to come from Latin mustum ardens, but such a Latin phrase is not attested, and it is well understood that that the final -ard is derived from Old French -arde. Doublet of mostarda.