cress

American

[kres] / krɛs /

noun

any of various plants of the mustard family, especially the watercress, having pungent-tasting leaves often used for salad and as a garnish.
any of various similar plants.

cress British

/ krɛs /

noun

any of various plants of the genera Lepidium , Cardamine , Arabis , etc, having pungent-tasting leaves often used in salads and as a garnish: family Brassicaceae (crucifers) See also watercress garden cress

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

cressy

adjective

Etymology

Origin of cress

before 900; Middle English cresse, Old English cress ( a ), cresse; cognate with Dutch kers, German Kresse

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.

Eventually I want to do the cress full time, but this way I’ve been able to ease my way in, without taking on too much of a financial gamble.”

From BBC • Oct. 26, 2024

"In the model plant thale cress, we have discovered the signal that activates the female gamete to form a new seed," says Grossniklaus.

From Science Daily • Feb. 15, 2024

So far, nearly 200 plants have been trialled and several new candidate plants, including pak choi, cress and kale, were found suitable.

From Salon • Nov. 2, 2023

The scientists chose a plant called thale cress for their experiment.

From NewsForKids.net • May 24, 2022

She was getting cress, dandelion greens, and poke greens, as she always did early in June.

From "Z for Zachariah" by Robert C. O’Brien

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023