spinach

noun

spin·​ach ˈspi-nich 

1

: an Asian herb (Spinacia oleracea) of the amaranth 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

The best food sources are roasted pumpkin seeds, almonds, cashews, chia seeds, black beans and spinach. —Allison Palmer, Charlotte Observer, 30 Mar. 2026

Food sources worth prioritizing include pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, almonds, black beans and spinach. —Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2026

Helen Jo and Johnny trade off preparing dishes for each other, making salmon curry and tofu spinach salad. —Jenna Thompson march 27, Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2026

This Afghan braise stars not just spinach as the green blast, but also a wallop of green onions and cilantro. —Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 26 Mar. 2026

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