arugula

American  

[uh-roo-guh-luh] / əˈru gə lə /

noun

1. a Mediterranean plant, Eruca vesicaria sativa, of the mustard family, having pungent leaves used in salads.

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arugula British  

/ əˈruːɡjʊlə /

noun

1. another name for rocket 2

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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; 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.

Example Sentences

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

I’ll often serve it with an arugula salad.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 15, 2026

It’s equally at home as a Tuesday night dinner for friends, especially with a sharp arugula salad on the side — peppery leaves glossed in a citrus vinaigrette that cuts through the butter and cheese.

From Salon • Sep. 30, 2025

Per LaMarita, radish greens are best enjoyed raw in salads and mixed with fresh kale, watercress, arugula, parsley or baby greens.

From Salon • Jun. 9, 2025

For my salad, I found some nice-looking locally grown arugula.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan