Seasoning means adding salt, pepper, herbs, spices, or other flavorings to food to make it taste better. When you season a dish, you're adjusting its flavor, usually by sprinkling in ingredients like garlic powder, oregano, or paprika. A chef might taste a soup and say it needs more seasoning if it tastes bland.

Different cuisines use different seasonings: Italian cooking relies heavily on basil and oregano, while Indian dishes often feature cumin and turmeric. Your family might have favorite seasonings they use on everything, from lemon pepper on chicken to cinnamon in oatmeal. Some people like bold, heavily seasoned food, while others prefer lighter seasoning that lets the natural flavors shine through.

The word can also refer to the process of preparing a cast-iron pan or wok by coating it with oil and heating it, which creates a natural non-stick surface. When you season cookware this way, you're building up protective layers that improve over time.

Learning to season food well takes practice and experimentation. Too little seasoning makes food taste flat and boring. Too much can overpower everything else. Finding that perfect balance is one of the fundamental skills of good cooking.