celery

American  

[sel-uh-ree, sel-ree] / ˈsɛl ə ri, ˈsɛl ri /

noun

1. a plant, Apium graveolens, of the parsley family, whose leafstalks are eaten raw or cooked.

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celery British  

/ ˈsɛlərɪ /

noun

1. an umbelliferous Eurasian plant, Apium graveolens dulce, whose blanched leafstalks are used in salads or cooked as a vegetable See also celeriac

2. a related and similar plant, Apium graveolens

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Etymology

Origin of celery

1655–65; < French céleri < Italian seleri, plural of selero ≪ Greek sélinon parsley

Explanation

Celery is a very crunchy, succulent vegetable that grows in stalks. You can cook celery, often with more flavorful vegetables, or eat it raw. Celery is a very mild-flavored vegetable that adds crunch to a salad or a subtle taste to sauteed onions and garlic. Your grandmother might love to serve "ants on a log," or peanut butter in the hollow of a celery stalk, with raisins as the "ants." Depending on your feelings about celery, you might feel slightly less enthusiastic.

Example Sentences

Dame Mary, 91, recalled how, during wartime, her father grew practical crops such as potatoes, sweet peas and celery to feed the family.

From BBC • May 28, 2026

Spinach, arugula, fennel, celery, and kale are also good dietary sources.

From Science Daily • May 25, 2026

Workers at the three-million-square-foot New York market, the largest food-distribution center in the country, unload the celery and drive it into the city, paying for even more diesel along the way.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 10, 2026

A pinch of celery seed for that classic deli whisper.

From Salon • Apr. 14, 2026

We cut up carrots and celery and made onion dip with sour cream and Lipton soup mix.

From "Kira-Kira" by Cynthia Kadohata