spinach

[spin-ich]

noun

1. a plant, Spinacia oleracea, cultivated for its edible, crinkly or flat leaves.

2. the leaves.

spinach

/ -ɪtʃ, ˈspɪnɪdʒ /

noun

1. a chenopodiaceous annual plant, Spinacia oleracea, cultivated for its dark green edible leaves

2. the leaves of this plant, eaten as a vegetable

Other Word Forms

• spinachlike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of spinach¹

First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English spinache, spinage, spinarch, from Anglo-French spinache, from Old French espinache, espinage, espinoche, from Medieval Latin spinargium, spinachium, spinarchium, ultimately from Arabic isfānākh, isfināj, perhaps from Persian isfānāj, ispānāk, aspānāk

Word History and Origins

Origin of spinach¹

C16: from Old French espinache, from Old Spanish espinaca, from Arabic isfānākh, from Persian

Example Sentences

One flank is covered with tranquil forests and fields where typical local crops like spinach, sorrel and chives grow.

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The Salinas Valley stretches for about 90 miles across the county and is lined with rows of berries, lettuce, spinach, artichokes and cauliflower.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Betaine is a small molecule found in foods like beets and spinach, but the body also makes it on its own.

Read more on Science Daily

My version includes a red bell pepper, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, ½ cup crumbled goat cheese, a handful of spinach and ¼ cup of onion jam.

Read more on Salon

Even the creamed spinach, usually not my thing, was surprisingly good.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• blue-green 
• olive