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

Cook, tossing often, until celery is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. —Gretchen McKay, Twin Cities, 26 Mar. 2026

Lemon and mustard pair up to cut through the creamy sauce, studded with ground chicken, carrots, and celery. —Jesse Szewczyk, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Mar. 2026

Gin, dry vermouth, celery shrub and ginger syrup guarantee a cocktail that is balanced and refreshing. —Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 20 Mar. 2026

Tuesday, March 24, Beef Stew with carrots, potatoes, onions and celery, Romaine salad and tomatoes, Mandarin oranges, milk. —Ramona Sentinel, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 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