onion
on-ion · noun
Definitions
noun
- 1.
A round vegetable with a strong smell and flavor, consisting of many layers surrounding each other, used in cooking.
- 2.
A plant of the lily family that produces the edible bulb.
Forms
plural: onions
Phrases & expressions
- •know one's onions — to be knowledgeable or skilled in a particular area
- •peel the onion — to examine something layer by layer
- •onion skin — very thin, translucent paper
Related words
Etymology
From Old French oignon, from Latin unio ("unity, oneness"), likely referring to the single bulb as opposed to garlic which has multiple cloves. The Latin term may also derive from unus ("one").