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

Her version — with instruction from the owner of her favorite taverna in Athens — involves plenty of whole carrots, onion, celery stalks and garlic, which pack the already nutrient-rich dish with even more vegetal goodness. —Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2025

To avoid this, sow celery seeds early in the season, keep the plants well-watered and mulched, and shelter them with shade cloth during periods of high heat. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 May 2025

Tuesday, June 3, Beef Stew with carrots, potatoes, onions and celery, whole grain roll, Romaine salad and tomatoes, pineapples, milk. —Ramona Sentinel, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 May 2025

In the float, celery root ice cream is drizzled with coffee oil, topped with red wine vinegar and shio koji-marinated cherries, and spritzed with a homemade celery soda. —Kate Kassin, Bon Appetit Magazine, 22 May 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