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

Celeriac Celeriac is a root vegetable that belongs to the same family as celery and parsley. —Jillian Kubala, Health, 23 Oct. 2025

This savory dressing is made with mushrooms, the holy trinity (green bell peppers, onions, and celery), buttery breadcrumbs, and of course, juicy oysters. —Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 23 Oct. 2025

The dry gin process includes a base wheat, mixed with juniper and coriander layered with rosemary, thyme, dill seed, celery leaf and lemon verbena, according to the farm's website. —Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 22 Oct. 2025

Fennel is more versatile and easier to work with than celery, its tough, stringy cousin. —Tribune News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 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