spinach

American  

[spin-ich] / ˈspɪn ɪtʃ /

noun

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

2. the leaves.

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spinach British  

/ -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

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Other Word Forms

• spinachlike
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of spinach

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

Explanation

Spinach is a leafy green edible plant. The most famous spinach eater is probably Popeye, the cartoon sailor who grows huge, strong arm muscles after eating it. There are many different ways to prepare spinach, from raw in a salad to sauteed with spices and cheese in the Indian dish saag paneer. If you don't pick a spinach plant's leaves, it sprouts white flowers and grows almost a foot tall. Spinach comes from the Old French espinache, with its Persian root, aspanakh — both also mean "spinach."

Example Sentences

Then I would do either the salmon with spinach or if it was a super cheat day, I’d have a cheeseburger.

From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026

It is naturally present in foods such as orange peppers, spinach, and kale.

From Science Daily • Apr. 10, 2026

It’s like when parents get their children to eat spinach by hiding it inside pancakes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

Meanwhile, spinach held the list’s top spot for the second year in a row, containing more pesticide residues by weight than any other type of produce.

From Salon • Mar. 26, 2026

Then it was spinach, followed by kohlrabi, salsify, cucumbers, tomatoes, sauerkraut, etc., etc.

From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank

Related Words

• blue-green
• olive