sesame sesame /ˈsesəmɪ/ noun〔mass noun〕 a tall annual herbaceous plant of tropical and subtropical areas of the Old World, cultivated for its oil-rich seeds 芝麻, 胡麻。 ● Sesamum indicum, family Pedaliaceae. 拉丁名Sesamum indicum, 胡麻科。 1.1 (sesame seed) the edible seeds of this plant, which are used whole or have the oil extracted 芝麻籽。 短语: open sesame → a free or unrestricted means of admission or access 法宝: academic success is not an automatic open sesame to the job market. 学业上的成功并非自由进入就业市场的法宝。 ORIGIN: from the magic formula in the tale of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves (see ALI BABA). 词源: late Middle English: via Latin from Greek sēsamon, sēsamē; compare with Arabic simsim.