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; broach ) + -olo diminutive suffix

Example Sentences

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

From Science Daily

For the main course, the steak was the clear star — perfectly cooked and served with classic sides like mashed potatoes and broccoli.

From Salon

Amanda June Jones recently hauled her kids to a Texas Roadhouse in Dallas, where she ordered a steak, broccoli and baked potato, marveling at how busy the place was on a freezing Sunday.

From The Wall Street Journal

Cabbage has long been forgotten among its cruciferous counterparts — broccoli, cauliflower and kohlrabi.

From Salon

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

Related Words

• sauerkraut