artichoke

American  

[ahr-ti-chohk] / ˈɑr tɪˌtʃoʊk /

noun

1. a tall, thistlelike composite plant, Cynara scolymus, native to the Mediterranean region, of which the numerous scalelike bracts and receptacle of the immature flower head are eaten as a vegetable.

2. the large, rounded, closed flower head itself.

3. Jerusalem artichoke.

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artichoke British  

/ ˈɑːtɪˌtʃəʊk /

noun

1. Also called: globe artichoke.  a thistle-like Eurasian plant, Cynara scolymus, cultivated for its large edible flower head containing many fleshy scalelike bracts: family Asteraceae (composites)

2. the unopened flower head of this plant, which can be cooked and eaten

3. See Jerusalem artichoke

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Etymology

Origin of artichoke

1525–35; < Upper Italian articiocco, variant (by dissimilation) of arciciocco, arcicioffo < *arcarcioffo < Old Spanish alcarchofa < dialectal Arabic al-kharshūf the artichoke

Explanation

An artichoke is an edible plant with many leaves and a tender, delicious heart. Some people like to dip their artichoke leaves in melted butter. The artichoke you can buy in the supermarket is called a "globe artichoke," and it's specially cultivated to be tasty. Artichokes are actually a kind of thistle, or a prickly, flowering plant. The part of an artichoke that's edible has to be picked before it blooms, or it becomes too tough to eat. The word comes from the Northern Italian articiocco, with its Arabic root word, al-hursufa.

Example Sentences

It’s best to stick to simple dishes that are portable, like a baked spaghetti casserole, an artichoke potato salad, or a batch of sweet and salty deviled eggs.

From Salon • Aug. 7, 2025

My most recent one is a tortino di carciofi — a spiral omelet with an artichoke in the middle that I eat at Trattoria Sostanza in Florence.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 7, 2024

"We're now in a situation where we have a full-on drought," says Xavier Oliva, an artichoke farmer who owns land just outside the city.

From BBC • Feb. 27, 2024

A multiveggie, messy Greenhouse pie gets Mama Lil’s peppers, artichoke, black olives and more for a flavor-blasted vegetarian option.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 15, 2024

It was one of our favorite places, a special-occasion kind of joint, with soft Art Deco lighting and crisp white tablecloths and things like caviar and artichoke fritters on the menu.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama