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cur·ry¹

(kûrē, kŭrē)

tr.v. cur·ried, cur·ry·ing, cur·ries

1. To groom (a horse) with a currycomb.

2. To prepare (tanned hides) for use, as by soaking or coloring.

Idiom:

curry favor

To seek or gain favor by fawning or flattery.

[Middle English curreien, from Anglo-Norman curreier, to arrange, curry, from Vulgar Latin *conrēdāre : Latin com-, com- + Vulgar Latin *-rēdāre, to make ready (of Germanic origin; see reidh- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots). Curry favor, by folk etymology from Middle English currayen favel, from Old French correier fauvel, to curry a fallow-colored horse, be hypocritical (from the fallow horse as a medieval symbol of deceit).]

cur·ry² also cur·rie

(kûrē, kŭrē)

n. pl. cur·ries

1. A dish of meat or vegetables flavored with pungent spices, typical of South Asian and Southeast Asian cuisines.

2. A blend of spices used in or suggesting the flavor of curry, typically containing turmeric, cumin, coriander, and ginger, among other ingredients.

3. Curry powder.

tr.v. cur·ried, cur·ry·ing, cur·ries

To season (food) with curry.

[Tamil kaṟi.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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