lettuce

noun let·tuce \ ˈle-təs \

|Updated on: 20 Jun 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

In the first half of the year nearly 200 people fell victim to E.coli, which hitched a ride in romaine lettuce, in an outbreak that caused five deaths.

— shari rudavsky, Indianapolis Star, "Are foodborne illness outbreaks increasing or does it just seem that way?," 14 June 2018
The lettuce is plentiful, the tomato abysmal (crunchy and pale), the flabby, fatty bacon assuredly not worth the $3.50 upcharge.

— devra first, BostonGlobe.com, "I just ate IHOb’s new burger. Here’s how it was," 11 June 2018
Romaine lettuce from this area is no longer available in stores or restaurants, according to the FDA.

— susan scutti, CNN, "197 illnesses, five deaths in E. coli outbreak tied to romaine lettuce," 1 June 2018
Tainted lettuce may be off store shelves, but the ramifications of the nationwide romaine E. coli outbreak aren’t over yet.

— jamie ducharme, Time, "4 More People Have Died From the Romaine Lettuce E. Coli Outbreak," 1 June 2018
Romaine lettuce isn’t the only vegetable to keep an eye on these days.

— chris morris, Fortune, "Here's How to Tell If You're Affected by the Frozen Broccoli Recall," 24 May 2018
Davis says: The lettuce was a nice addition to standard mushroom swiss burger.

— cleveland.com, "Erie Burger Co. in Avon Lake a newer place to grab a bite: Cleveland's Best Burger contest," 6 May 2018
It was used in the current investigation of E. coli bacteria found in romaine lettuce grown in Arizona, which has sickened at least 84 people in 19 states, according to a CDC update released Wednesday.

— mike stobbe, chicagotribune.com, "Disease hunters using DNA to investigate E. coli outbreak linked to romaine lettuce," 30 Apr. 2018
Ask the waiter if the romaine lettuce is coming from the Yuma area.

— sean rossman, USA TODAY, "Whether your romaine lettuce is chopped or not, toss it: Consumer Reports," 20 Apr. 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

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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.