leek

[ leek ]

/ lik /

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noun

a plant, Allium ampeloprasum, of the amaryllis family, allied to the onion, having a cylindrical bulb and leaves used in cookery.

any of various allied species.

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Origin of leek

before 1000; Middle English; Old English lēac; cognate with German Lauch,Old Norse laukr

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH leek

leak, leek

Words nearby leek

leech line, leech rope, Leeds, Leeds Castle, lee gauge, leek, leek-green, leer, Lee, Robert E., leery, lees

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

How to use leek in a sentence

Melted leeks are sweeter and richer in flavor, while scallions provide a nice crunch and sharp flavor for garnishing a dish.
Ramps, spring’s trendiest produce, explained|Nisha Chittal|May 14, 2021|Vox
Add the leek and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, 4 to 5 minutes.
Proof spring is soup season, too: This bright bowl packed with peas, leeks, spinach and herbs|Ellie Krieger|April 8, 2021|Washington Post
It’s made with early-harvest vegetables — leeks, peas, new potatoes, spinach and herbs — and is simply seasoned so their delicate flavors come through clearly.
Proof spring is soup season, too: This bright bowl packed with peas, leeks, spinach and herbs|Ellie Krieger|April 8, 2021|Washington Post
True to its roots, this dish is adaptable to just about any combination of vegetables you have on hand, such as asparagus, peas, potato, leeks, broccoli, you name it.
Creamy skillet chicken with biscuits gets a healthful upgrade without losing flavor|Ellie Krieger|April 1, 2021|Washington Post

The end result was a sheet of bronzed chicken with a heap of soft-but-not-mushy peas and leeks infused with the rendered chicken fat.
Six Recipes That Got Us Through Another Week|Eater Staff|March 19, 2021|Eater
Lon did so with a proper pantomime of indifference, but it was a leek to eat, and there was no denying it.
The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition Vol. 4 (of 25)|Robert Louis Stevenson
Ees eet dat de amiable Mrs. Croydon she do have a deeferent husband leek a sailor mans een all de harbors?
Love in a Cloud|Arlo Bates
We got out to the road about dark, and reached Leek, Springs where we found some grass, and camped.
Journal of a Trip to California by the Overland Route Across the Plains in 1850-51|E. S. (Eleazer Stillman) Ingalls
Though my head be like a leek, white, may not my heart be like the blade, green?
The Mermaid Series. Edited by H. Ellis. The best plays of the old dramatists. Thomas Dekker. Edited, with an introduction and notes by Ernest Rhys.|Thomas Dekker
It is said that Mr. Wardle, of Leek, is now seeking for dyes of pure unadulterated colours, and mordants to fix them.
Needlework As Art|Marian Alford

British Dictionary definitions for leek

leek

/ (liːk) /

noun

Also called: scallion an alliaceous plant, Allium porrum, with a slender white bulb, cylindrical stem, and broad flat overlapping leaves: used in cooking

any of several related species, such as A. ampeloprasum (wild leek)

a leek, or a representation of one, as a national emblem of Wales

Word Origin for leek

Old English lēac; related to Old Norse laukr, Old High German louh

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