Curry (noun) refers to a dish or mixture of spices, typically featuring a flavorful sauce, originating from Indian culinary traditions. It also denotes a sauce or dish prepared with a blend of spices, often including turmeric, coriander, cumin, and chili. In some contexts it can describe the spice blend itself, as well as the cooked dish that uses it.
"I ordered chicken curry for dinner last night."
"The restaurant offers a mild curry with coconut milk."
"She learned to adjust the curry powder to suit her recipe."
"He spilled curry on his shirt and tried to wipe it clean."
The word curry derives from the Tamil word kari, meaning sauce or relish, which entered English via Malay or Portuguese traders in the 17th century. The term kari referred to a spiced dish with a sauce, encompassing a broad set of preparations across the Indian subcontinent. As British colonial influence grew, Indian dishes labeled as curry were adapted to Western kitchens, where “curry powder” and “curry” as a dish name became standardized. Early usages in English often described spicy sauces or stew-like preparations with a combination of spices; by the 18th and 19th centuries, curry powder emerged as a convenient commercial blend in Britain, often marketed with exotic or imperial associations. The word has retained various regional pronunciations and spellings (kari, kari, curry) across English-speaking countries. First known use in English is documented in the 17th-18th centuries via trade texts and cookbooks, with later standardization in published dictionaries and culinary literature.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Curry" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Curry" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Curry"
-ury sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Usual pronunciation is IPA: US ˈkɜr.i, UK ˈkʌr.i, AU ˈkaʊ.ri. The first syllable centers on a mid- or low-back vowel with rhotic schwa-like quality in many US rhotic accents; keep the stress on the first syllable. The second syllable is a light, unstressed -ri, often realized as a quick schwa plus r or a reduced vowel. Mouth posture: start with a relaxed open-mid back vowel, then close lips mildly for the 'r' before a soft light 'ee' or 'i' sound at the end.
Common errors: treating the first syllable as a pure 'coo-ree' to rhyme with 'courier' or making the second syllable too strong as 'ree'. Correct approach: use a lax, mid-back vowel for the first syllable (US /ɜː/ rhotic, UK /ʌ/ or /ɜ/ depending on speaker) and keep the second syllable short and unstressed. Ensure a light 'r' and avoid a drawn-out 'ee' sound. Practice with minimal pairs: curry vs curious, curry vs carry; aim for a quick, light -ri.
US English typically features ˈkɜr.i with rhotic r and a stressed first syllable; UK English often uses ˈkʌr.i with a shorter, clipped first vowel and non-rhotic tendencies in some dialects; Australian tends to have ˈkaʊ.ri or ˈkæri, with a more open vowel in the first syllable and a pronounced 'r' only before vowels. Vowel quality varies: US may keep r-coloring in the nucleus, UK may reduce to a more centralized vowel, AU widely varies but tends toward a broader diphthong in some speakers.
Because of the contrast between a tense, rhotacized first syllable and a light, unstressed second syllable, plus vowel variation across dialects. The r-colored nucleus in US English can be challenging for non-native speakers; the first vowel can shift from /ɜ/ to /ʌ/ or /ə/ depending on region. The quick transition between syllables demands precise timing and mouth shape: open-mid back vowel, rounded lips for the r, then a brief, reduced -ri.
In some contexts, curry may be pronounced with a silent or reduced second vowel in rapid speech, sounding like ˈkə.ri for a few speakers. In careful speech, maintain two clear syllables with a distinct initial vowel and a light trailing -ri. A unique concern is not to merge into a word like 'curie' (as in Marie Curie); keep stress on the first syllable and avoid 'cur-ree' with a long 'ee'.
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