lettuce

noun let·tuce \ ˈle-təs \

|Updated on: 15 Aug 2018

Definition of lettuce

: any of a genus (Lactuca) of composite plants; especially : a common garden vegetable (L. sativa) whose succulent leaves are used especially in salads

See lettuce defined for English-language learners

See lettuce defined for kids

Examples of lettuce in a Sentence

I like a little lettuce and tomato on my sandwiches.

Recent Examples of lettuce from the Web

To embrace its crisp texture, eat it raw: as a unique salad accompaniment, a replacement for lettuce or pickles on a sandwich, or to artfully top a bowl of soup.

— ashleigh spitza, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Purslane may be growing in your lawn; for better health, put it in your diet," 10 July 2018
In a large bowl combine the green papaya, carrot threads, herbs, and romaine lettuce.

— christina pérez, Vogue, "Vegetarian Grilling Ideas Sure To Impress Even The Judge-iest BBQ Guests," 3 July 2018
Customers first choose a base from five options: sushi rice, black rice, quinoa, zucchini noodles or romaine lettuce.

— sarah gish, kansascity, "Freestyle Poké: 5 things to know about River Market's popular Hawaiian-style cafe," 2 July 2018
Federal and state health officials had previously traced the lettuce to farms in the Yuma region, including Harrison Farms.

— alison steinbach, azcentral, "Yuma lettuce E. coli outbreak linked to infected canal water, officials say," 28 June 2018
Additional items for sale include basil, summer squash, flowers and possibly melons and lettuce, according to the Center for Land-Based Learning, the group that runs the Urban Farms program.

— daniel wilson, sacbee, "West Sacramento’s Barn to host fresh, local produce sales through September," 12 July 2018
Tommy Shive, the 2017 winner of the World Burger Championship, suggests placing lettuce on the bottom bun to keep it from getting soggy.

— jim shahin, charlotteobserver, "The best way to grill a burger keeps it off the grate," 6 July 2018
The chief pollinators of the lettuce garden that the farming pioneer Frank Bienkowski planted more than 200 years ago, the bees go hand-in-hand with the fresh produce offered on the menu throughout the summer season.

— Discover Magazine, "One-on-One with Executive Chef Kevin Erving," 6 July 2018
But during the investigation into this particular outbreak, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) wasn't able to link the romaine lettuce outbreak to a single grower, harvester, processor, or distributor.

— korin miller, SELF, "Officials Think They’ve Finally Found the Source of the Romaine Lettuce E. Coli Outbreak," 2 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lettuce.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of lettuce

Middle English letuse, from Anglo-French letuse, probably from plural of letue lettuce plant, from Latin lactuca, from lact-, lac milk; from its milky juice — more at galaxy

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined above

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Other Food Terms

Reuben, calamari, chuck, curry, edamame, foie gras, hummus, leaven, nonpareil, peel

LETTUCE Defined for English Language Learners

lettuce

noun

Definition of lettuce for English Language Learners

: a plant that has large leaves that are eaten especially in salads

LETTUCE Defined for Kids

lettuce

noun let·tuce \ ˈle-təs \

Definition of lettuce for Students

: a garden plant that has large crisp leaves eaten especially in salads

History for lettuce

Many kinds of lettuce have a milky white juice. Lettuce owes its name to this fact. The Latin name for lettuce, lactuca, from which we get English lettuce (through medieval French letuse), came from the Latin word for milk, lac.