kale

American  

[kayl] / 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.

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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

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kale ² British  

/ keɪl /

noun

1. dialect a queue

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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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

kale

You can also add depth and variety to your soup by adding any salad greens, like arugula, spinach, kale, or watercress.

From Salon ● Jul. 25, 2026

Benedette Hardwick, the owner of the Red B Restaurant in Idabel, Okla., said the restaurant had temporarily stopped serving things like kale, parsley, green onion, raw broccoli, spinach and cilantro.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 18, 2026

Buttermilk, cornbread, apple butter, pork and kale, and other dishes will all be on McIntyre's menu.

From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026

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

From Science Daily ● May 25, 2026

Aunt Melissa hands me a bag of kale while she covers the pasta salad in foil.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller