celery

noun

cel·​ery ˈse-lə-rē 

ˈsel-rē

plural celeries

: a European herb (Apium graveolens) of the carrot family

specifically : one of a cultivated variety (A. graveolens var. dulce) with leafstalks eaten raw or cooked

Examples of celery in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Add the onion, carrots and celery and sauté for about 5 minutes, until softened. — ABC News, 30 Sep. 2026

That is then mixed with mayonnaise and other vegetables and seasonings, such as celery, pepper, or scallions. — Amber Raiken, Verywell Health, 25 Sep. 2026

Chop thin slices of cucumbers or dice up celery and carrots into tiny pieces, whatever your recipe calls for. — Sarah Scott, Southern Living, 24 Sep. 2026

The factory produces 2 million pounds of giardiniera a year, made from huge barrels of cut and cured pickles, carrots, celery, cauliflower and peppers, the latter ingredient differentiating the hot and mild varieties. — Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French céleri (17th-century celeris, sceleri, Middle French scellerin), borrowed from an Upper Italian form (as Ligurian sèlarʼu, Lombard sèleri), altered from Vulgar Latin *selinum (Late Latin selīnon), borrowed from Greek sélīnon, perhaps from a pre-Greek substratal language

First Known Use

1664, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing celery

• celery cabbage
• celery root
• wild celery

Kids Definition

celery

noun

cel·​ery ˈsel-(ə-)rē 

plural celeries

: a European herb related to the carrot and widely grown for the thick edible stems

also : the stems of celery used for food