Mustard is a spicy yellow or brown sauce or paste made from the seeds of the mustard plant, used as a condiment on foods like sandwiches and hot dogs. The word can also refer to the plant itself.
From Old French *mostarde*, from *most* “new wine, must” + *ardent* “burning,” because mustard seeds were originally mixed with grape must to make a hot sauce. The Latin root *mustum* gave us *must* in winemaking and influenced this word.
Mustard started as a mix of ground seeds and unfermented grape juice, literally “burning must.” Its sharpness doesn’t come from chili-style heat but from chemical reactions that happen when the seeds are crushed and mixed with liquid. That’s why dry mustard powder smells mild until you add water.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.