[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/onion/)

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# onion

noun (an onion, onions)

«onion» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A round vegetable with layers, papery brown, red or white skin and a strong smell and taste, used in cooking. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/onion/#m1)
2. The plant this vegetable grows from; the onion is a bulb that grows under the ground. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/onion/#m2)

### In the lessons

In science, an onion is a bulb: it stores food in its layers so the plant can grow again; onion skin is used under the microscope to see plant cells clearly. Cutting onions makes your eyes water because they release a gas that irritates your eyes. In cooking, onions are used in soups, sauces and salads; spring onions (scallions in the USA and Ireland) are young onions. In safety, use a knife only with an adult's help, and keep onions away from dogs and cats because they are poisonous to pets. Phrases: "chop an onion", "onion rings", "spring onion", "layers like an onion", "French onion soup".

### Examples

- Chopping onions makes my eyes water. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/onion/#x1)
- We looked at onion skin cells under the microscope. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/onion/#x2)
- Mum fried the onions until they were soft and golden. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/onion/#x3)
- An onion is a bulb that grows underground. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/onion/#x4)
- Never feed onions to your dog; they can make it ill. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/onion/#x5)
- Ogres are like onions — they have layers! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/onion/#x6)
- I like onion rings with my burger. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/onion/#x7)
- Spring onions are thin and green at the top. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/onion/#x8)
- The first thing he saw was Mr. McGregor hoeing onions. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/onion/#x9)

### Note

Use "an": an onion (starts with a vowel sound "un"). Countable: one onion, two onions. Pronounced "UN-yun". In maths recipe problems, "2 onions for 4 people" means 1 onion for 2 people, so 3 onions for 6 people.

## In Jewish tradition

Interpretation: The Israelites in the wilderness longed for Egyptian foods like onions, and the rabbis read this as complaining and missing slavery's small pleasures. In the primary lessons: In science, an onion is a bulb: it stores food in its layers so the plant can grow again; onion skin is used under the microscope to see plant cells clearly. Cutting onions makes your eyes water because they release a gas that irritates your eyes. In cooking, onions are used in soups, sauces and salads; spring onions (scallions in the USA and Ireland) are young onions. In safety, use a knife only with an adult's help, and keep onions away from dogs and cats because they are poisonous to pets. Phrases: "chop an onion", "onion rings", "spring onion", "layers like an onion", "French onion soup".

### Examples

- We remember the fish, which we were wont to eat in Egypt for nought; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic; (Torah NUM.11.5, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/O/onion/#x1)

### Note

Use "an": an onion (starts with a vowel sound "un"). Countable: one onion, two onions. Pronounced "UN-yun". In maths recipe problems, "2 onions for 4 people" means 1 onion for 2 people, so 3 onions for 6 people.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «onion» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/onion/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«onion» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/onion.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «onion» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/O/onion/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«onion» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/onion.html) on Mova free.