lettuce
Americannoun
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a cultivated plant, Lactuca sativa, occurring in many varieties and having succulent leaves used for salads.
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any species of Lactuca.
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Slang. U.S. dollar bills; greenbacks.
noun
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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)
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the leaves of any of these varieties, which are eaten in salads
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any of various plants that resemble true lettuce, such as lamb's lettuce and sea lettuce
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In the UK, the Stonegate Group, a major pub chain that owns Slug & Lettuce and Yates bars, said last year it was raising prices during peak hours.
From BBC • Feb. 28, 2024
Lettuce and herbs are great because they can be picked by the leaf.
From Salon • Oct. 26, 2023
At Aba in Bal Harbour, the laid-back Middle Eastern mini chain from the Chicago-based hospitality group Lettuce Entertain You, where cold meze and kebabs dominate the menu, there are little wooden stools for bags.
From Seattle Times • Jul. 6, 2023
A year after getting out, Castellanos and his girlfriend decided to celebrate New Year’s Eve at the Lettuce Patch Lounge in San Bernardino.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 22, 2023
Lettuce and tomatoes and carrots and cucumbers went flying all over the table and onto the floor.
From "Bunnicula" by Deborah Howe and James Howe
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.