fennel

American  

[fen-l] / ˈfɛn l /

noun

1. a plant, Foeniculum vulgare, of the parsley family, having feathery leaves and umbels of small, yellow flowers.

2. Also fennel seed the aromatic fruits of Foeniculum vulgare, used in cooking and medicine.

3. any of various plants more or less similar to Foeniculum vulgare, such as Ferula communis giant fennel, a tall, ornamental plant.

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fennel British  

/ ˈfɛnəl /

noun

1. a strong-smelling yellow-flowered umbelliferous plant, Foeniculum vulgare , whose seeds and feathery leaves are used to season and flavour food See also finocchio

2. another name for mayweed

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Etymology

Origin of fennel

First recorded before 900; Middle English fenel, Old English fenol, variant of finu ( g ) l from unattested Vulgar Latin fenuclum, for Latin fēniculum, faeniculum, equivalent to faeni- (combining form of faenum “hay”) + -culum -cle ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fennel

Take a deep breath in Hollywood’s Kimpton Everly Hotel and you may catch a whiff of sandalwood, leather, fennel, cardamom, violet and cedar.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2026

I was welcomed instead with a cup of fennel tea.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

Spinach, arugula, fennel, celery, and kale are also good dietary sources.

From Science Daily ● May 25, 2026

It carries fennel, garlic, chile — all the aromatics embedded in the sausage — and it becomes the vehicle for the Cajun seasoning.

From Salon ● Apr. 7, 2026

Smoke rose from the front of the yard, along with the delicious smell of oregano and garlic, rosemary, fennel, toasted annatto.

From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago

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