spinach

spin·ach

noun \ˈspi-nich\

: a plant with dark green leaves that are eaten as a vegetable

Full Definition of SPINACH

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

— spin·ach·like \-nich-ˌlīk\ adjective

— spin·achy \-ni-chē\ adjective

Origin of SPINACH

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

First Known Use: 15th century

Other Food Terms

Reuben, calamari, chuck, curry, edamame, foie gras, hummus, leaven, nonpareil, peel

Rhymes with SPINACH

Greenwich

spinach

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Hardy, leafy annual (Spinacia oleracea) of the goosefoot family (Chenopodiaceae), used as a vegetable. The edible leaves, somewhat triangular and either flat or puckered, are arranged in a rosette, from which a seedstalk emerges. Spinach requires cool weather and deep, rich, well-limed soil to give quick growth and maximum leaf area; sowing seed every two weeks from early spring to late summer provides a steady supply. A nutritious vegetable, spinach is rich in iron and vitamins A and C.