zaatar

See also: za'atar

English

Zaatar growing in Jerusalem

Alternative forms

• za'tar (stricter transliterations)
• za'atar, zatar (nonstandard)

Etymology

From Arabic زَعْتَر (zaʕtar), صَعْتَر (ṣaʕtar, “wild thyme; condiment made from this herb”), probably from Classical Syriac ܨܬܪܐ (ṣāṯrā), related to Hebrew צַתְרָה (ṣátrā).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈzɑːtɑː/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈzɑtɑɹ/

• Audio (General American):

  (file)

Noun

zaatar (uncountable)

1. A particular herb, similar in flavor to thyme or oregano, used in Middle Eastern cuisine (Origanum syriacum).
3. A Middle Eastern seasoning, having this herb or a mixture of herbs as the main ingredient, with sumac (or other tart-flavored equivalent) and sesame seeds.

Derived terms

• zaatar bread

Translations

herb

• Arabic: زَعْتَر نَابُلْسِيّ m (zaʕtar nābulsiyy)
• Aramaic: ܡܲܪܘܵܐ / מַרְוָא m (marwā)

  Classical Syriac: ܨܬܪܐ m (ṣāṯrā)

• Hebrew: זַעְתַּר (he) m (zá'tar), אֵזוֹב (he) m (ezóv)
• Sicilian: satra f
• Spanish: za'atar m, zaatar m, zatar m, zahatar m
• Turkish: zahter (tr)

seasoning

• Arabic: خُلْطَة زَعْتَر نَابُلْسِيّ f (ḵulṭat zaʕtar nābulsiyy), زَعْتَر نَابُلْسِيّ m (zaʕtar nābulsiyy)
• Aramaic: please add this translation if you can

  Classical Syriac: ܨܬܪܐ m (ṣāṯrā)

• French: zaatar (fr) m
• Hebrew: זַעְתַּר (he) m (zá'tar)
• Japanese: ザアタル (zaataru), ザータル (zātaru)
• Polish: zatar (pl) m
• Russian: за́атар (ru) m (záatar), за́тар (ru) m (zátar)
• Sicilian: satra f
• Spanish: za'atar m, zaatar m, zatar m, zahatar m
• Turkish: zahter (tr)

References

• “zaatar”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.