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

Monroe’s directions call for mixing in the onions and celery raw. —Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Oct. 2025

If the latter category piques your interest, order the jambalaya or the Catfish Pontchartrain (catfish served with onions, green peppers, celery, and a slightly spicy Southern sauce). —Lydia Mansel, Southern Living, 29 Oct. 2025

Garnish with an olive, lemon and lime wedges, and, if desired, pickled onion and celery. —The New York Times News Service Syndicate, Denver Post, 28 Oct. 2025

Choi likes to precut carrots, celery, onions and fennel. —Malaka Gharib, NPR, 25 Oct. 2025

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