quinoa

noun

qui·​noa ˈkēn-ˌwä How to pronounce quinoa (audio)
kē-ˈnō-ə
: an annual herb (Chenopodium quinoa) of the amaranth family that is native to the Andean highlands and is cultivated for its starchy seeds which are used as food and ground into flour
also : its seeds

Examples of quinoa in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The four-ounce formula is made with organic aloe and includes ingredients such as tremella mushroom extract, hyaluronic acid, quinoa seed extract, hemp seed extract, flaxseed and green tea. — Spin Staff, SPIN, 21 Aug. 2026 Rotisserie chicken with brown rice or quinoa, sautéed veggies, and fruit on the side. — Isabel Lopez, Parents, 17 Aug. 2026 Feta is delicious crumbled over pasta and rice dishes, in barley salads, or with couscous, spelt, and quinoa. — Alessandra Signorelli, Vogue, 14 Aug. 2026 To make this gluten-free, replace the couscous with 1 1/2 cups cooked rice or quinoa, or skip the grains entirely and stir in 2 cups cauliflower rice with the peppers and beef. — ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for quinoa

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, from Quechua kinua

First Known Use

1625, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of quinoa was in 1625

Rhymes for quinoa

See All Rhymes for quinoa

Browse Nearby Words

quino-
quinoa
quinocyanine
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Quinoa.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quinoa. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

quinoa

noun
qui·​noa ki-ˈnō-ə How to pronounce quinoa (audio)
: a goosefoot that occurs in the Andes and has starchy seeds that are used as food and ground into flour
also : its seeds

More from Merriam-Webster on quinoa

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about quinoa

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of devolve

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All