arugula
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of arugula
1965–70; apparently < an Upper Italian dial. form, akin to Lombard arigola, Venetian rucola < Latin ērūca name for Eruca sativa (compare Italian ruca ), with diminutive suffix -ola < Latin -ula -ule; cf. rocket 2
Explanation
Arugula is a leafy green plant that's commonly used in salad. It's fairly easy to grow arugula in a small garden. In the U.S., this plant is usually called arugula, while in the U.K. it's more often called rocket. Many backyard gardeners like to grow arugula, which is one of the earliest plants to be harvested, since it's fairly tolerant of cold. The Latin name is Eruca sativa, but arugula comes from an Italian dialect's variation on ruchetta, the plant's name in Italy.
Vocabulary lists containing arugula
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Spinach, arugula, fennel, celery, and kale are also good dietary sources.
From Science Daily • May 25, 2026
An hour's drive north of New York City, the greenhouses at Cropsey Farm are seeing their first leaves of kale, spinach and arugula emerge.
From Barron's • Apr. 11, 2026
In the meantime, combine the arugula and kale in a large bowl.
From Salon • Feb. 7, 2026
I’ll often serve it with an arugula salad.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 15, 2026
She orders what he does, porcini ravioli and a salad of arugula and pears.
From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
