spinach

American  

[spin-ich] / ˈspɪn ɪtʃ /

noun

1. a plant, Spinacia oleracea, cultivated for its edible, crinkly or flat leaves.

2. the leaves.

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spinach British  

/ -ɪtʃ, ˈspɪnɪdʒ /

noun

1. a chenopodiaceous annual plant, Spinacia oleracea, cultivated for its dark green edible leaves

2. the leaves of this plant, eaten as a vegetable

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Other Word Forms

• spinachlike
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of spinach

First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English spinache, spinage, spinarch, from Anglo-French spinache, from Old French espinache, espinage, espinoche, from Medieval Latin spinargium, spinachium, spinarchium, ultimately from Arabic isfānākh, isfināj, perhaps from Persian isfānāj, ispānāk, aspānāk

Explanation

Spinach is a leafy green edible plant. The most famous spinach eater is probably Popeye, the cartoon sailor who grows huge, strong arm muscles after eating it. There are many different ways to prepare spinach, from raw in a salad to sauteed with spices and cheese in the Indian dish saag paneer. If you don't pick a spinach plant's leaves, it sprouts white flowers and grows almost a foot tall. Spinach comes from the Old French espinache, with its Persian root, aspanakh — both also mean "spinach."

Example Sentences

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

From Science Daily • May 25, 2026

Rich and incredibly cheesy, TJ’s Creamy Spinach & Artichoke Dip is hard to resist.

From Salon • Jan. 28, 2026

Spinach was only a small part of a concoction that had so many ingredients, including garlic, you couldn’t find the eggs.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 25, 2023

Spinach instead of the bitter greens, flour tortillas and feta cheese, which has a similar saltiness to the Turkish one, made a faithfully tasty stuffed flatbread.

From Washington Times • Apr. 21, 2023

“Do you have any greens? Spinach or kale, maybe?”

From "I Can Make This Promise" by Christine Day

Related Words

• blue-green
• olive