chicory
Americannoun
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chicories
plural
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a composite plant, Cichorium intybus, having bright-blue flower heads and toothed oblong leaves, cultivated as a salad plant and for its root, which is used roasted and ground as a substitute for or additive to coffee.
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the root of this plant.
noun
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Also called: succory. a blue-flowered plant, Cichorium intybus, cultivated for its leaves, which are used in salads, and for its roots: family Asteraceae (composites)
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the root of this plant, roasted, dried, and used as a coffee substitute
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of chicory
1350–1400; < Middle French chicoree, alteration of earlier cicoree (by influence of Italian cicoria ) < Latin cichorēa < Greek kichória, kíchora (neuter plurals); replacing Middle English cicoree < Middle French
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Explanation
Chicory is a type of plant, an herb with bright blue flowers. In many parts of the world, including New Orleans, chicory is commonly added to coffee. Roasted and ground chicory root has frequently been used as an affordable substitute during coffee shortages. What started as a desperate move in wartime and during the Great Depression became a beloved tradition in some places, where chicory-coffee mixtures are now considered a regional treat. Chicory root is also used as a sweetener, and the leaves are sometimes eaten raw in salads. The blue flowers of chicory can be spotted growing wild along highways in many parts of Europe.
Vocabulary lists containing chicory
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.
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Ingredients like chicory root and inulin feed the good bacteria in your microbiome, helping to promote balance and support digestion.
From Salon ● Mar. 24, 2025
Roasted and ground lupin, chickpea, malted barley, and chicory are amongst the major ingredients the company works with, along with an undisclosed natural flavouring.
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2024
The 59 volunteers consumed 30 grams of inulin, a prebiotic from chicory root, daily for 14 days.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 10, 2023
Both enjoyed the chicory Caesar — Fernando said he’d never eaten a Caesar salad in a restaurant before.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2023
He showed us how to search out berries, wild garlic, chicory, and cattails.
From "Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat" by Johnny Marciano and Emily Chenoweth
His “CID salad” roams adjacent blocks with a sweet-side miso-sesame vinaigrette embracing bitter chicories and mandarin orange, with tangles of very thin, very crunchy fried chow mein joining in.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 2, 2023
Shaped like little torpedoes, these chicories are known for having a juicy crunch.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 21, 2022
You can't go wrong with tender Little Gems, but bitter chicories, like endive or radicchio, create a dynamic foundation — perfect for topping with zingy citrus or sweet dried fruit.
From Salon ● May 17, 2021
She’ll be charring chicories and cauliflower, grilling carrots, roasting blackfish and oysters, and baking beans in the embers, all parts of dishes listed on the menu.
From New York Times ● Dec. 10, 2019
In the meantime the chicories should be cooking; tie each one round with a thread to keep them firm and boil them for ten minutes.
From The Belgian Cookbook by Various
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.
