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Synonyms

kale

American  
[keyl] / keɪl /
Or kail

noun

  1. Also called borecole.  a cabbagelike cultivated plant, Brassica oleracea acephala, of the mustard family, having curled or wrinkled leaves: used as a vegetable.

  2. Scot. cabbage.

  3. Slang. money.


kale 1 British  
/ keɪl /

noun

  1. a cultivated variety of cabbage, Brassica oleracea acephala, with crinkled leaves: used as a potherb See also collard

  2. a cabbage

  3. slang money

"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

kale 2 British  
/ keɪl /

noun

  1. dialect a queue

"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

Etymology

Origin of kale

1250–1300; Middle English cale, northern variant of cole

Explanation

Kale is a green leafy vegetable that's a close relative of cabbage and broccoli. Kale is tough and bitter when raw, but it can be yummy when you prepare it the right way. If you're a fan of green smoothies, there's almost certainly some kale in them. Marinating kale, roasting it with olive oil and salt, and throwing it in a stir fry are all great ways to make kale tasty. Long ago, kale was also a slang term for "money," as in, "Hand over the kale, sweetheart, and nobody gets hurt." Kale comes from a Scottish variation on cole, which meant "cabbage" in Middle English.

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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.

Ua noho ua Makaula nei ma ke kae o kela luawai, a moe oia malaila a ao ia po.

From The Hawaiian Romance Of Laieikawai by Beckwith, Martha Warren

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