a plant with hard yellow-brown seeds that are used in South Asian cooking as a spice Topics Foodc2葫芦巴(种子用于南亚食物调味) Word OriginOld English fenogrecum (superseded in Middle English by forms from Old French fenugrec), from Latin faenugraecum, from faenum graecum ‘Greek hay’ (the Romans used the dried plant as fodder).