Definition

Noun: A garlic clove is one of the individual, small segments that make up a head (or bulb) of garlic. Each clove is encased in its own papery skin and is the part of the plant typically used for cooking.

Usage

The term garlic clove is used to specify a single segment from the larger garlic bulb, especially in cooking instructions and recipes. - Add two finely chopped garlic cloves to the pan. - The recipe calls for one minced garlic clove. - Peel the skin off the garlic clove before using it.

Advanced Usage

• "A clove of garlic": This is a very common alternative phrasing with identical meaning. It is often used interchangeably with "garlic clove."
  • Crush a clove of garlic into the dressing.

Variants and Related Words

• Garlic (noun): The plant or the entire bulb consisting of multiple cloves.
  • Garlic is a staple in many cuisines.
• Bulb (noun): In this context, refers to the whole, rounded head of garlic.
  • You buy a bulb of garlic and break it into individual cloves.

Synonyms

• Segment (of a garlic bulb)
• Lobe (less common, but can be used descriptively)

Notes

• Garlic clove is a compound noun. The primary term for the item is the full phrase "garlic clove" or "clove of garlic." It is not standard to use "clove" alone in this culinary context without specifying "garlic," as "clove" can also refer to a spice (dried flower bud) from the clove tree.

Noun

1. one of the small bulblets that can be split off of the axis of a larger garlic bulb