Turmeric is a herbaceous perennial with a rhizome from which arises tufts of large, broad, lanceolate, bright green leaves acute at both ends. The plant grows up to 60 to 90 cm high. Leafy shoots are erect, bearing 6-10 leaves with the leaf sheath forming a pseudostem. The ligule is a small lobe (1mm long). The sheath near the ligule has ciliate margins. The inflorescence is a cylindrical spike, 10-55 cm long, 5-7 cm wide and terminal on the leafy shoot. The flowers are yellow or pale yellow, borne in a spike. They arise from two buds situated in the axils of bracts and mature successively. Bracts are greenish-white; the uppermost tinged with pink. The bracteoles are thin and elliptic. The calyx is short, unequally toothed and split nearly half way down on one side. The corolla is tubular at the base and the upper half s cup-shaped. There are two lateral staminodes. The lip or labellum is obovate. The ovary is inferior and trilocular with a slender style held by anther lobes and passing between them. Fruits are seldom. The primary tuber at the base of the aerial stem is ellipsoidal bearing many rhizomes; straight or little curved, with secondary branches in two rows and further tertiary branches, the whole forming a dense clump. Rhizomes have a distinctive taste and smell, brownish and scaly outside and the inside is bright orange in colour. The roots are fleshy, often ending in a swollen starchy tuber.

Turmeric is a necessary ingredient of curry powder. It is used extensively in Indian dishes, including lentil and meat dishes, and in Southeast Asian cooking. Turmeric is also used as a dye in textile industry. It is used in the preparation of medicinal oils, ointments and poultice. It is stomachic, carminative, tonic, blood purifier and an antiseptic. It is used in cosmetics. The aqueous extracts has biopesticidal properties.

Traditionally turmeric is being used in Indian System of medicine. It has several medicinal properties like stomachic, carnivative, tonic, blood purifier, vermicide and antiseptic. The active constituent of turmeric, curcumin, has been shown to have a wide range of therapeutic effects. Because it is a strong antioxidant, it protects against free radical damage. Curcumin has also been shown to have a marked anti-inflammatory effect. It accomplishes this by reducing histamine levels and possibly by increasing production of natural cortisone by the adrenal glands. Curcumin also protects the liver from a number of toxic compounds. It has also been shown to reduce platelets from clumping together, which improves circulation and helps protect against atherosclerosis. There are numerous studies showing cancer-preventing effect of curcumin; which may be due to its powerful antioxidant activity in the body. Anticancer properties of turmeric are recently reported.

In cosmetics also turmeric has a major role. It is an inexpensive and indigeneous beauty aid. Considerable quantities of turmeric are converted as ‘kumkum' used for tilak by Indians. Smearing with turmeric paste cleans skin and beautifies it. Its antiseptic and healing properties prevent and cure pimples.