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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

broccoli

Chicken, mac and cheese and broccoli were served, Smith told ABC’s “The View.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 31, 2026

For their study, the scientists at King's College London analysed 12 raw or uncooked fresh foods - beetroot, bell pepper, broccoli, butternut squash, cauliflower, celeriac, curly kale, fennel, kiwi fruit, leek, pineapple and watermelon.

From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026

That line has stayed with me just as stubbornly as the one about disrespecting broccoli.

From Salon ● Sep. 15, 2026

This is what you would find in half an orange, three to four florets of cooked broccoli or one-third of a glass of orange juice.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 27, 2026

“Things,” I say, cramming chicken and broccoli into my mouth.

From "Liar & Spy" by Rebecca Stead

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