[ 'tə:mərɪk ]
■ noun
1》 a bright yellow aromatic powder obtained from the rhizome of a plant, used for flavouring and colouring in Asian cookery and formerly as a fabric dye.
2》 the Asian plant of the ginger family from which ~ is obtained. [ Curcuma longa .]
Origin
ME (earlier as tarmaret ): perh. from Fr. terre mérite and mod. L. terra merita , lit. 'deserving earth'.