/ses"euh mee/ , n.
1. a tropical, herbaceous plant, Sesamum indicum, whose small oval seeds are edible and yield an oil.
2. the seeds themselves, used to add flavor to bread, crackers, etc.
3. See open sesame . Also called benne (for defs. 1, 2).
[ 1400-50; sesáme sesame plant shamashshammu, derived from shaman shammi plant oil; r. sesam, late ME sysane sesamum sésamon sesame seed ]