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

Use a wide rubber band, like the kind that comes on bundles of broccoli or celery, or double up on a standard size. —Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 8 June 2026

For lunch, make lentil and vegetable soup with carrots, celery, kale and a slice of whole-grain bread. —Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 8 June 2026

And in order to maintain a nutritious balance to each of these meals, consider adding cut-up vegetables (like celery or carrots) or fruit (strawberries or blueberries are easy options) to the plate. —Stephanie Ganz, Parents, 7 June 2026

By day, 43-year-old The Wiener’s Circle hot dog stand is a beloved go-to for locals and travelers to get a taste of one of Chicago’s signature foods: a frank in a bun dressed with mustard, onions, neon green relish, tomato slices, a pickle, sport peppers, and celery salt. —Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 June 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