leek

[ leek ]

/ lik /

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.

Nearby words

leech rope, leechcraft, leechee, leeds, leeds castle, leek, leek-green, leer, leery, lees, lees summit

Origin of leek

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

Can be confusedleak leek

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for leek

Simmer in two ounces of butter one onion, one-half stalk of celery, and one leek, all chopped very fine.
The Hotel St. Francis Cook Book|Victor Hirtzler
Some heroes in this hard plight would have thrown up the leek, but Mr Bhosh was stuffed with sterner materials.
A Bayard From Bengal|Hurry Bungsho Jabberjee
Add one carrot, a leek, onion, a little celery and a bouquet garni.
The Hotel St. Francis Cook Book|Victor Hirtzler
Of course she was talking about Henry Leek, the humble valet, and not about Leek's illustrious master.
Buried Alive: A Tale of These Days|Arnold Bennett

The Duke was now in a yielding mood and ate his leek humbly.
Historic Oddities|Sabine Baring-Gould

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

Word Origin and History for leek

leek

culinary herb, Old English læc (Mercian), leac (West Saxon) "leek, onion, garlic," from Proto-Germanic *lauka- (cf. Old Norse laukr "leek, garlic," Danish løg, Swedish lök "onion," Old Saxon lok "leek," Middle Dutch looc, Dutch look "leek, garlic," Old High German louh, German Lauch "leek"). No known cognates; Finnish laukka, Russian luk-, Old Church Slavonic luku are borrowed from Germanic.