lettuce

American  

[let-is] / ˈlɛt ɪs /

noun

1. a cultivated plant, Lactuca sativa, occurring in many varieties and having succulent leaves used for salads.

2. any species of Lactuca.

3. Slang. U.S. dollar bills; greenbacks.

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lettuce British  

/ ˈlɛtɪs /

noun

1. any of various plants of the genus Lactuca, esp L. sativa, which is cultivated in many varieties for its large edible leaves: family Asteraceae (composites)

2. the leaves of any of these varieties, which are eaten in salads

3. any of various plants that resemble true lettuce, such as lamb's lettuce and sea lettuce

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Etymology

Origin of lettuce

1250–1300; 1925–30 lettuce for def. 3; Middle English letuse, apparently < Old French laitues, plural of laitue < Latin lactūca a lettuce, perhaps derivative of lac, stem lact- milk, with termination as in erūca rocket ² (or by association with Greek galaktoûchos having milk)

Example Sentences

New research from Johns Hopkins University suggests that certain crops -- tomatoes, carrots, and lettuce -- tend to store these chemicals mainly in their leaves.

From Science Daily • Mar. 15, 2026

Traipsing down the Hollywood Farmers Market with giant heads of lettuce and overgrown bouquets feels not only like release, but also resistance and resilience.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026

Picture a burrito bowl layered in reds and greens: cabbage slaw, sweet corn, charred bell peppers, red onion, shredded lettuce, jalapeños.

From Salon • Feb. 18, 2026

Growing lettuce in the Arctic as a business venture?

From Barron's • Feb. 17, 2026

From the garden I got peas, lettuce, and spinach, took half and set the rest on the porch.

From "Z for Zachariah" by Robert C. O’Brien

Related Words

• bread
• cabbage