star anise

noun

: the small brown star-shaped pungent fruit of a Chinese and Vietnamese tree (Illicium verum) that has a flavor similar to but stronger than anise and is dried and used whole or ground as a spice especially in Chinese cooking

Examples of star anise in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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It’s garnished with star anise to add a nice little kick with every sip. Christina Liao, Travel + Leisure, 22 Jan. 2025 Mulled wine is most traditionally made with red wine and baking spices like clove, cinnamon, star anise and orange zest. Jillian Dara, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025 Liew serves his with beef rendang, a Malaysian-style curry made with aromatic spices such as star anise, cinnamon, lemongrass and cloves. Keith Pandolfi, The Enquirer, 10 Dec. 2024 Once the wine starts bubbling, Oliver adds star anise and the rest of the wine bottle. Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for star anise 

Word History

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of star anise was in 1838

Dictionary Entries Near star anise

Cite this Entry

“Star anise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/star%20anise. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.

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