alfalfa

noun

al·​fal·​fa al-ˈfal-fə 

: a deep-rooted leguminous perennial plant (Medicago sativa) of southwestern Asia that is widely grown for hay and forage

Examples of alfalfa in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Thirsty data That Lake Mead’s worth of water that has disappeared from beneath the lower Colorado basin has gone largely to irrigating alfalfa and other food for cows, much of which is exported. —Mark Gongloff, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2025

That Lake Mead’s worth of water that has disappeared from beneath the lower Colorado basin has gone largely to irrigating alfalfa and other food for cows, much of which is exported. —Mark Gongloff, Denver Post, 12 Aug. 2025

To cut down on cost, buy alfalfa meal fertilizer in bulk from seed companies or livestock feed stores. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 July 2025

Arizona saw a rise in agricultural activity in 2014, when large alfalfa farms arrived in La Paz and other southern parts of the state. —Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, modification of Arabic dialect al-faṣfaṣa the alfalfa

First Known Use

1791, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing alfalfa

• alfalfa weevil
• Egyptian alfalfa weevil
• spotted alfalfa aphid

Rhymes for alfalfa

• alfa
• alpha

Kids Definition

alfalfa

noun

al·​fal·​fa al-ˈfal-fə 

: a deep-rooted southwest Asian plant of the legume family with purple flowers and leaves like clover that is widely grown for hay and forage