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 ground beef, onion, celery, black pepper and 1 teaspoon of the salt; cook, stirring often to crumble, until beef is browned and onions are softened, 6 to 8 minutes. —Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 15 Mar. 2026

Wisps of cheddar covered a salad of celery hearts and avocado, cut so that the forms were indistinguishable until the ingredients reached the taste buds. —Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2026

Arrange a crudité board with veggies like broccoli, green cauliflower, snap peas, and celery; expand your tray to include fruits like green grapes, kiwis, and green apples. —Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Mar. 2026

At the moment, the seasonal menu highlights crudos like tuna tartare with apple, celery puree and black truffle; red shrimp with mango and citron dressing; tuna and salmon with avocado mousse and lemon vinaigrette. —Connie Ogle march 11, Miami Herald, 11 Mar. 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