asparagus

noun

as·​par·​a·​gus ə-ˈsper-ə-gəs 

-ˈspa-rə-

plural asparagus

: any of a genus (Asparagus of the family Asparagaceae, the asparagus family) of Old World perennial plants having much-branched stems, minute scalelike leaves, and narrow usually filiform branchlets that function as leaves

especially : one (A. officinalis) widely cultivated for its edible young shoots

Illustration of asparagus

Examples of asparagus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Plates champion some of the best local and seasonal ingredients for shareable dishes like white asparagus with pickled strawberries and goat cheese or bluefin tuna with garden peas and grilled padron peppers with pil pil sauce. —Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 22 June 2025

Green asparagus is the most common in the United States. —Jennifer Lefton, Verywell Health, 20 June 2025

Susie raises chickens and tends a garden filled with asparagus, blueberries and strawberries. —Jennifer Berry Hawes, ProPublica, 19 May 2025

For identification purposes, the stem looks like red or pink asparagus in spring. —Martha Proctor, Mercury News, 1 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, genus name, from Latin, asparagus plant, from Greek asparagos; perhaps akin to Greek spargan to swell

First Known Use

1543, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

asparagus

noun

as·​par·​a·​gus ə-ˈspar-ə-gəs 

: a tall branching long-lived herb related to the lilies and widely grown for its thick edible young shoots

Medical Definition

asparagus

noun

as·​par·​a·​gus ə-ˈspar-ə-gəs 

1

capitalized : a genus of Old World perennial herbs (family Asparagaceae) having erect much-branched stems, minute scalelike leaves, and narrow filiform branchlets that function as leaves

2

a

: any plant of the genus Asparagus

especially : a plant (A. officinalis) widely cultivated for its tender edible young shoots

b

: the root of cultivated asparagus formerly used as a diuretic