noun an east indian plant of the genus curcuma, of the ginger family.
2. turmeric ·adj of or pertaining to turmeric; resembling, or obtained from, turmeric; specif., designating an acid obtained by the oxidation of turmerol.
3. turmeric ·noun the root or rootstock of the curcuma longa. it is externally grayish, but internally of a deep, lively yellow or saffron color, and has a slight aromatic smell, and a bitterish, slightly acrid taste. it is used for a dye, a medicine, a condiment, and a chemical test.