DictionarycloveGarlic segment
noun

clove

One separable segment of a garlic bulb.

She crushes a clove of garlic with her knife.

Etymology

Old English clufu named a split or divided piece. A garlic clove is one of the distinct segments into which the bulb separates.

More examples

  • The recipe calls for two cloves of garlic.
  • Peel each clove before adding it to the pan.
  • A garlic bulb contains several cloves under its papery skin.

Forms

clove · cloves

Similar words

segment
Names a distinct section, not specifically part of garlic.
piece
Can mean any portion, rather than a whole natural segment.