on·ion

(ŭn′yən)

a. A bulbous plant (Allium cepa) cultivated worldwide as a vegetable.

b. The rounded edible bulb of this plant, composed of fleshy, tight, concentric leaf bases having a pungent odor and taste.

2. Any of several other plants in the genus Allium.

[Middle English oynoun, unyon, from Anglo-Norman oignon, ongnon, from Vulgar Latin *uniō, uniōn-, variant of Latin ūniō, ūniōn- length of the initial u uncertain), perhaps from ūnus, one (in reference to the single compact bulb of the onion, as opposed to the multiple cloves of garlic); see oi-no in Indo-European roots, or perhaps akin to Sanskrit uṣnaḥ, onion, Pashto ūʐa;, garlic, and Hittite wašḫar, -wašḫan- in šuppiwašḫar, onion (šuppi-, pure).]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

onion

(ˈʌnjən)

1. (Plants) an alliaceous plant, Allium cepa, having greenish-white flowers: cultivated for its rounded edible bulb

2. (Plants) the bulb of this plant, consisting of concentric layers of white succulent leaf bases with a pungent odour and taste

3. (Plants) any of several related plants similar to A. cepa, such as A. fistulosum (Welsh onion)

4. know one's onions slang Brit to be fully acquainted with a subject

[C14: via Anglo-Norman from Old French oignon, from Latin unio onion, related to union]

ˈoniony adj

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

on•ion

(ˈʌn yən)

n.

1. a plant, Allium cepa, of the amaryllis family, having an edible, succulent, pungent bulb.

2. this bulb.

3. any of certain similar plants.

[1325–75; Middle English < Old French oignon < Latin ūniōnem, acc. of ūniō a unity, large pearl, onion; see union]

on′ion•y, adj.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	onion - the bulb of an onion plant Allium cepa, onion plant, onion - bulbous plant having hollow leaves cultivated worldwide for its rounded edible bulb bulb - a modified bud consisting of a thickened globular underground stem serving as a reproductive structure
	2.	onion - bulbous plant having hollow leaves cultivated worldwide for its rounded edible bulb Allium cepa, onion plant alliaceous plant - bulbous plants having a characteristic pungent onion odor onion - the bulb of an onion plant Allium ascalonicum, Allium cepa aggregatum, eschalot, multiplier onion, shallot - type of onion plant producing small clustered mild-flavored bulbs used as seasoning Allium cepa viviparum, Egyptian onion, top onion, tree onion - type of perennial onion grown chiefly as a curiosity or for early salad onions; having bulbils that replace the flowers Allium fistulosum, Japanese leek, Welsh onion - Asiatic onion with slender bulbs; used as early green onions Allium haematochiton, red-skinned onion - onion with white to deep red tunic; California isothiocyanate - a family of compounds derived from horseradish and radishes and onions and mustards; source of the hotness of those plants and preparations
	3.	onion - an aromatic flavorful vegetable veg, vegetable, veggie - edible seeds or roots or stems or leaves or bulbs or tubers or nonsweet fruits of any of numerous herbaceous plant Bermuda onion - mild flat onion grown in warm areas green onion, spring onion, scallion - a young onion before the bulb has enlarged; eaten in salads Vidalia onion - sweet-flavored onion grown in Georgia Spanish onion - large mild and succulent onion; often eaten raw shallot - small mild-flavored onion-like or garlic-like clustered bulbs used for seasoning

onion

noun

Related words
adjective cepaceous

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

بَصَلبَصَلٌ

лук

cibule

løg

Zwiebel

κρεμμύδι

cepo

cebolla

پیاز

sipuli

oignon

בצל

luk

hagymavöröshagyma

laukur

cipolla

タマネギ

양파

cepa

svogūnas

sīpols

ceapă

čebula

lökgullök

kitunguu

หัวหอม

soğan

پیازکاندا

củ hành

洋葱

onion

[ˈʌnjən]

A. N → cebolla f
to know one's onions (Brit) → conocer a fondo su oficio, conocer el paño

B. CPD → de cebolla
onion dome N (Archit) → cúpula f bulbosa
onion johnny N → vendedor m ambulante de cebollas
onion rings NPL → aros mpl de cebolla rebozados
onion skin N (= paper) → papel m de cebolla
onion soup N → sopa f de cebolla

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

onion

[ˈʌnjən] n → oignon m
to know one's onions (= be well-informed) → s'y connaître onion gravyonion gravy n → sauce f aux oignonsonion ring n → rondelle f d'oignon en beignetonion soup n → soupe f à l'oignon

onion

n → Zwiebel f; he knows his onions (Brit inf) → er kennt seinen Kram (inf)

onion

onion dome

n → Zwiebelturm m

onion ring

n (Cook) → Zwiebelring m

onion-shaped

adj → zwiebelförmig

onionskin

n → Zwiebelschale f; (= paper) → Florpost f

onion soup

n → Zwiebelsuppe f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

onion

[ˈʌnjən] n → cipolla

onion

(ˈanjən) noun

a type of vegetable with an eatable bulb which has a strong taste and smell. pickled onions; Put plenty of onion in the stew.

onion

→ بَصَلٌ cibule løg Zwiebel κρεμμύδι cebolla sipuli oignon luk cipolla タマネギ 양파 ui løk cebula cebola лук lök หัวหอม soğan củ hành 洋葱

onion

n cebolla