garlic

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. An onionlike plant (Allium sativum) of southern Europe having a bulb that breaks up into separable cloves with a strong distinctive odor and flavor.
2. n. The bulb of this plant.
3. v. To season or flavor (a food) with garlic.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. An onion-like bulbous plant, Allium sativum, allied to the leek, A. Porrum. It is a native of central Asia, and perhaps of the Mediterranean region, was well known to the ancients, and is still a favorite condiment, especially among the people of southern Europe and most Oriental countries. It has a very strong and to most persons unused to it an unpleasant odor, and an acrid pungent taste. Each bulb is composed of several lesser bulbs, called cloves of garlic, inclosed in a common membranous coat and easily separable. Used as medicine, garlic is a stimulant tonic, and promotes digestion; it has also diuretic and sudorific properties, and is a good expectorant. The name is also applied to other species of the same genus, as the bear's-garlic, A. ursinum; the crow- or field-garlic, A. vineale; the wild garlic, A. Moly; the wild meadow-garlic of the United States, A. Canadense, etc.
2. n. [Appar. a special use of garlic, 1, of some particular origin.] A jig or farce popular at the beginning of the seventeenth century.

Wiktionary

1. n. A plant, Allium sativum, related to the onion), having a pungent bulbous root much used in cooking.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. (Bot.) A plant of the genus Allium (A. sativum is the cultivated variety), having a bulbous root, a very strong smell, and an acrid, pungent taste. Each root is composed of several lesser bulbs, called cloves of garlic, inclosed in a common membranous coat, and easily separable.
2. n. obsolete A kind of jig or farce.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. bulbous herb of southern Europe widely naturalized; bulb breaks up into separate strong-flavored cloves
2. n. aromatic bulb used as seasoning