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

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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

See Examples For:

celery

A shockingly good celery, blue cheese, walnut appetizer.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026

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

Bob samples a piece of celery and spits it out.

From "The One and Only Ivan" by Katherine Applegate

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