celery

noun

cel·​ery ˈse-lə-rē 

ˈsel-rē

plural celeries

: a European herb (Apium graveolens) of the carrot family

specifically : one of a cultivated variety (A. graveolens var. dulce) with leafstalks eaten raw or cooked

Examples of celery in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That’s where these colorful options, from deep cobalt to celery green, come in. —Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 21 Aug. 2025

The cocktail bar is minimalist by design, with an ever-changing monthly menu of snacks and specialty drinks featuring ingredients like crème de violette and celery bitters. —Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 21 Aug. 2025

The dominant culinary approach was irreducibly Cajun: the meat was seared in a giant black pot with onions, bell peppers, and celery, and simmered in a broth heavily seasoned with hot sauce and spices—predominantly Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning, the regional improvement on salt and pepper. —Nathaniel Rich, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025

Use celery in cold salads like pasta, kale, or chicken salad. —Nancy Lebrun, Verywell Health, 4 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French céleri (17th-century celeris, sceleri, Middle French scellerin), borrowed from an Upper Italian form (as Ligurian sèlarʼu, Lombard sèleri), altered from Vulgar Latin *selinum (Late Latin selīnon), borrowed from Greek sélīnon, perhaps from a pre-Greek substratal language

First Known Use

1664, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing celery

• celery cabbage
• celery root
• wild celery

Kids Definition

celery

noun

cel·​ery ˈsel-(ə-)rē 

plural celeries

: a European herb related to the carrot and widely grown for the thick edible stems

also : the stems of celery used for food