broccoli

American  

[brok-uh-lee, brok-lee] / ˈbrɒk ə li, ˈbrɒk li /

noun

1. a form of a cultivated cruciferous plant, Brassica oleracea botrytis, whose leafy stalks and clusters of usually green buds are eaten as a vegetable.

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broccoli British  

/ ˈbrɒkəlɪ /

noun

1. a cultivated variety of cabbage, Brassica oleracea italica , having branched greenish flower heads

2. the flower head of this plant, eaten as a vegetable before the buds have opened

3. a variety of this plant that does not form a head, whose stalks are eaten as a vegetable

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Usage

What else does broccoli mean? Content warning: this article references illicit drugs. When not referring to the actual vegetable, broccoli is slang for "marijuana."

Etymology

Origin of broccoli

1690–1700; < Italian, plural of broccolo, equivalent to brocc ( o ) sprout (< Late Latin; see broach) + -olo diminutive suffix

Example Sentences

Farms in California’s Imperial Valley depend entirely on the river to grow crops including hay, broccoli and lettuce.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026

Foods rich in soluble fiber include many fruits and vegetables, such as apples, avocados, bananas, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower.

From Science Daily • Mar. 8, 2026

A little pasta water and a shower of Parmesan will turn blended squash, stewed greens, roasted red peppers — even broccoli — into something glossy and luxurious.

From Salon • Feb. 18, 2026

Even those who swear by the broccoli concoction say they can’t be sure that they are benefiting from anything other than a placebo effect.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 12, 2026

I devein six hundred thousand million shrimp, and Dee chops broccoli and cauliflower into twelve million trillion perfect little trees.

From "Ask the Passengers" by A.S. King

Related Words

• sauerkraut