cauliflower
Americannoun
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a form of cultivated plant, Brassica oleracea botrytis, of the mustard family, whose inflorescence forms a compact, usually whitish head.
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this head, used as a vegetable.
noun
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a variety of cabbage, Brassica oleracea botrytis, having a large edible head of crowded white flowers on a very short thick stem
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the flower head of this plant, used as a vegetable
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of cauliflower
1590–1600; < Latin cauli ( s ) cole + flower; replacing coleflorie < Italian ca ( v ) olfiore, equivalent to cavol cole + fiore < Latin flōri- (stem of flōs ) flower
Explanation
Cauliflower is a distinctive white vegetable that's related to broccoli and cabbage. Many Indian dishes include cauliflower. A head of cauliflower is made up of many dense, white, flower-like clusters, and occasionally cauliflower comes in varieties that are slightly purple or green. Cauliflower can be eaten raw, steamed, roasted, grilled or sauteed. In the 1590s, it was originally called cole florye, from the Italian cavoli fiori, "flowered cabbage."
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.
This was led by higher prices for fresh fruit and fresh vegetables in May, with households paying more for items such as berries, broccoli, cauliflower and tomatoes.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 22, 2026
The idea grew as organically as the purple cauliflower at Erewhon.
From Los Angeles Times • May 25, 2026
Over ghee-roasted cauliflower, I tell him about Burnout Circle.
From Slate • May 10, 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
The one he finally got was a cross-eyed ex-boxer with cauliflower ears, who could only type, not break codes.
From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield
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.
