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

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

I usually get a bunch of salads and the crab and fennel soup.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 23, 2026

The best salads mix the cooked — a little caramelized onion, roasted red pepper, maybe a chopped artichoke heart — with the crisp rawness of shaved fennel, scallions or celery.

From Salon • Dec. 4, 2025

This evening they had supped on oxtail soup, summer greens tossed with pecans, grapes, red fennel, and crumbled cheese, hot crab pie, spiced squash, and quails drowned in butter.

From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin

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