fennel
[fen-l]
- a plant, Foeniculum vulgare, of the parsley family, having feathery leaves and umbels of small, yellow flowers.
- Also fennel seed. the aromatic fruits of this plant, used in cookery and medicine.
- any of various more or less similar plants, as Ferula communis (giant fennel), a tall, ornamental plant.
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Origin of fennel
before 900; Middle English fenel, Old English fenol, variant of finu(g)l < Vulgar Latin *fenuclum, for Latin fēniculum, faeniculum, equivalent to faeni- (combining form of faenum hay) + -culum -cle1
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for fennel
Contemporary Examples
At first, the taste is bright and mostly of fennel, then it slides into anise, and then fades away with a minty finish.
Trim the fennel bulbs, cut lengthwise in half, and cut out most of the core.
Spoon a little of the mixture, with the fennel seeds and pepper, over the top of each one, and set aside.
Set out bowls of the sauce for dipping, or let guests spoon it over their chicken and fennel.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together the buttermilk, Tabasco sauce, fennel seeds, and black pepper.
Historical Examples
Fennel, for instance, emblemised flattery, and columbine ingratitude.
StoryologyBenjamin Taylor
Fennel is sometimes propagated by a division of the roots and by offsets.
The Field and Garden Vegetables of AmericaFearing Burr
Follow me then; and on your love for Fennel, see nothing of the way in which I lead you.
Robin HoodPaul Creswick
"Allan-a-Dale and Fennel shall go with you, dear heart," said Robin.
Robin HoodPaul Creswick
Then they chew thyme or rock-parsley or fennel, or rub their hands with these plants.
The City of the SunTommaso Campanella
fennel
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Word Origin
Old English fenol, from Latin faeniculum fennel, diminutive of faenum hay
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for fennel
n.
Old English fenol, finul, perhaps via (or influenced by) Old French fenoil or directly from Vulgar Latin fenuculum, from Latin feniculum, diminutive of fenum, faenum "hay," probably literally "produce" (see fecund). Apparently so called from its hay-like appearance and sweet odor.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper