spinach

noun

spin·​ach ˈspi-nich 

1

: an Asian herb (Spinacia oleracea) of the goosefoot family cultivated for its edible leaves which form in a dense basal rosette

also : its leaves

2

a

: something unwanted, pretentious, or spurious

b

: an untidy overgrowth

spinachlike

ˈspi-nich-ˌlīk 

adjective

spinachy

ˈspi-ni-chē 

adjective

Examples of spinach in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Water content for fruits and vegetables varies dramatically, but watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries, spinach, cabbage, celery, lettuce, and squash are all at least 90% water. —Perri Ormont Blumberg, TIME, 20 May 2024

Like most places in town, Al Cambio offers a seven-layer lasagna made with jade-green spinach noodles sandwiched between coats of béchamel and ragù. —Laura May Todd Enea Arienti, New York Times, 17 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English spinache, from Anglo-French, alteration of Old French espinaces, from Medieval Latin spinachium, ultimately from Arabic isfānākh, from Pers

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

spinach

noun

spin·​ach ˈspin-ich 

: a widely grown plant with dark green leaves that are used as food

also : the leaves