radish

American  

[rad-ish] / ˈræd ɪʃ /

noun

radishes plural

1. the crisp, pungent, edible root of the plant, Raphanus sativus, of the mustard family, usually eaten raw.

2. the plant itself.

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radish British  

/ ˈrædɪʃ /

noun

1. any of various plants of the genus Raphanus , esp R. sativus of Europe and Asia, cultivated for its edible root: family Brassicaceae (crucifers)

2. the root of this plant, which has a pungent taste and is eaten raw in salads

3. another name for white charlock See charlock

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• radishlike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• radishes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of radish

before 1000; late Middle English radish ( e ), variant (compare Old French radise, variant of radice ) of Middle English radich ( e ), Old English rǣdic < Latin rādīc- (stem of rādīx root ¹ ); compare Old High German rātih, German Rettich

Explanation

That slightly bitter, crunchy vegetable you pulled out of the garden bed is a radish. Many people love to eat sliced radishes on salads or buttered toast. Even gardeners who don't love the taste of radishes like to grow them alongside other plants, since their strong scent is a natural insect repellant. While these root vegetables come in a wide variety of shapes and colors, the most common type of radish is small, round, and red or dark pink. The root word of radish simply (and aptly) means "root."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

radish radishes

There’s no way Clayton’s very seared salmon with watermelon radish can top a Jean-Georges chocolate mousse.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 12, 2026

They banked almost 500,000 seeds from 19 species, including relatives of lettuce, parsnip, strawberry, radish, quinoa, blackberry, alfalfa and several species used as fodder crops for livestock.

From BBC ● Apr. 11, 2026

"Genetic diversity is a resource for us too as humans, especially the wild relatives of crops. We've got quite a few in Wales, like sea radish, sea carrot, sea cabbage," said Kevin.

From BBC ● Apr. 11, 2026

Her well-loved peanut butter lengua, little squares of braised tongue topped with grilled radish and pickled onion, arrived on a plate streaked with spicy peanut sauce.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2025

I sang the Rabanito song, about a purple radish flower standing tall and proud in the wind.

From "The Queen of Water" by Laura Resau

Nearly all get delivered by McKellen’s Julian, waving a champagne coupe while monologuing about humidifiers, cancel culture and a doctor who smells like radishes.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 9, 2026

For Tex-Mex night, think lime wedges, crema, sliced radishes and chopped green onions.

From Salon ● Mar. 15, 2026

Each week, during the British winter, it supplies two million bunches of spring onions, 100 tonnes of green beans and 80 tonnes of radishes.

From BBC ● Feb. 18, 2026

A review in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry suggests that the often-discarded tops of radishes could be more nutritious than the roots themselves.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2025

At least there were no radishes dangling from her ears.

From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling