okra

noun \ ˈō-krə , Southern also -krē \

|Updated on: 8 Aug 2018

Definition of okra

1 : a tall annual herb (Abelmoschus esculentus) of the mallow family that is cultivated for its mucilaginous green pods used especially in soups or stews; also : the pods of this plant

2 : ¹gumbo 1

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Recent Examples of okra from the Web

The top pick is crowned with bacon and blue cheese; for non-meat eaters, the veggie version is perfectly grilled with chickpeas, eggplant and okra and amped up with green figs.

— melanie reffes, USA TODAY, "Where to eat on the beach in the Caribbean," 8 June 2018
After a typical meal of soup, rice, chicken, okra and salads, Ms. Abu Latif, in a traditional embroidered dress, hawked her homemade spice mixes and cookies, bonded with guests over recipes and handed out business cards.

— isabel kershner, New York Times, "Israelis Play Tourists in a Bedouin Town in the Negev," 6 June 2018
Your garden center also has traditional insecticides labeled for aphid control on okra.

— tom maccubbin, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Find the ideal spot to plant hydrangeas," 14 Apr. 2018
The root potato is covered in dirt and has a slimy texture like okra.

— The Cut, "25 Famous People on Taking Care of Their Skin," 11 July 2018
His family grew wheat and okra, raised dairy cows and hunted game in the bush with spears.

— laura vozzella, Washington Post, "By day, he runs for president of South Sudan. By night, he unloads trucks at Lowe’s.," 7 July 2018
The small, casual eatery serves down-home Southern food, including oxtail, fried catfish, smothered pork chops, black-eyed peas, fried okra, macaroni and cheese and, of course, the signature Golden Brown Southern Fried Chicken.

— kellie hwang, azcentral, "It's National Fried Chicken Day! Phoenix restaurants for best fried chicken," 6 July 2018
An excellent shrimp and grits with spicy andouille and okra in rustic tomato sauce over Anson Mills grits — the legacy of a South Carolina cook who once worked there — was a perfect example.

— craig laban, Philly.com, "Craig LaBan's first bite of the Delaware beaches | A dining guide," 15 June 2018
Hedrick says that Silver Dollar City is one of the country’s largest purchasers of okra.

— arthur levine, USA TODAY, "Silver Dollar City theme park offers old-fashioned fun and thrills," 25 Apr. 2018

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