artichoke

noun

ar·​ti·​choke ˈär-tə-ˌchōk How to pronounce artichoke (audio)
1
: a tall Mediterranean composite herb (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus synonym C. scolymus) resembling a thistle with coarse pinnately incised leaves
also : its edible immature flower head which is cooked as a vegetable
2

Examples of artichoke in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Starters might include crisp baby artichokes paired with creamy local goat cheese and briny olive tapenade, or tender sweet pea agnolotti nestled in a corn velouté (a silky classic French sauce) and crispy guanciale. Keyla Vasconcellos, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025 Other foods that contain phosphorus include whole grains, bran cereals, pizza, chocolate, bananas, kiwis, prunes, potatoes, avocados and artichokes. Daryl Austin, USA Today, 2 June 2025 The mortadella with artichokes and fresh ricotta dances between delicate and decadent, and the specials are always worth consideration: a porchetta with orange and fennel-pollen salad, say, or a croque madame with Mornay sauce, squash blossoms and runny egg. John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 20 June 2025 Surprises abound at Somma, where your night might begin with drinking broth out of an artichoke and conclude with a study in corn and cocoa. Andy Wang, Forbes.com, 17 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for artichoke

Word History

Etymology

Italian dialect articiocco, ultimately from Arabic al-khurshūf the artichoke

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of artichoke was in 1530

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Artichoke.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/artichoke. Accessed 29 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

artichoke

noun
ar·​ti·​choke ˈärt-ə-ˌchōk How to pronounce artichoke (audio)
: a tall plant related to the daisies and having a flower head which is cooked and eaten as a vegetable

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