Forms: (5–7 carway), 6 caruway(e, carowaye, -weie, 6–7 careway(e, carawey, 7 carrowaye, 7–9 carraway, 5– caraway. [From med.L. carui, or some allied Romanic form: cf. F., It., Sp. carvi (whence Sc. carvy, kervie), OSp. alcaravea, alcarahueya, Pg. alcaravia, alcorovia, a. Arab. al-karawiyā or -karwiyā: cf. Gr. κάρον, κάρεον (in L. carum, careum Pliny), forms however which could not immediately give the Arabic.]
1. An umbelliferous plant (Carum Carui): its small fruits, commonly called ‘caraway-seeds,’ are aromatic and carminative; they are used in cakes, sweetmeats, etc., and yield a volatile oil.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 62. Caraway herbe, carway, sic scribitur in campo florum.
1551. Turner, Herbal, H iv b. Caruwayes … the poticaries call it carui.
1579. Langham, Gard. Health (1633), 125. Carway breaketh winde.
1794. Martyn, Rousseau’s Bot., xvii. 236. Carraway has no proper involucre.
1861. Delamer, Kitch. Gard., 124. Caraway is the object of field culture in Essex, and on other stiff soils.
† 2. The fruit or ‘seed’ of the caraway; also a sweetmeat or confection containing caraway-seeds. Obs. exc. as Sc. CARVY.
1557. F. Seager, Sch. Vertue, in Babees Bk. (1868), 343. Bisketes or Carowayes.
1586. Cogan, Haven Health (1636), 101. To eat Carawayes or Biskets, or some other kinde of Comfits or seedes together with Apples.
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., V. iii. 3. We will eate a last yeares Pippin of my owne graffing, with a dish of Carrawayes.
1620. Melton, Astrolog., 75. A piece of Cheese, Pippins, or Carrowayes.
1620. Venner, Via Recta, vii. 162. In meates, I prefer the Carewayes before … Fennel-seeds.
1712. trans. Pomet’s Hist. Drugs, I. 5. The Caraways that the people of Paris buy out of the Shops.
3. Comb., as caraway-comfit, a sweetmeat containing caraway-seeds; caraway-seed (see 1); also attrib., as in caraway-seed biscuit.
1710. Steele, Tatler, No. 245, ¶ 2. One Silver gilt [box] of a large Size for Cashu and *Carraway Comfits.
1548. Turner, Names of Herbes, s.v., Ye may use *carawey seede or carot seede.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 54. Adding a little Coriander Seed, and Carraway Seed.
1694. Phil. Trans., XVIII. 212. Oyl of Carui-Seeds.
1836–7. Dickens, Sk. Boz (1850), 141/2. Some sweet carrawayseed biscuits.
