rhubarb

rhu·barb | \ ˈrü-ˌbärb

How to pronounce rhubarb (audio)

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Definition of rhubarb

1a : any of a genus (Rheum) of Asian plants of the buckwheat family having large leaves with thick petioles often used as food also : the petioles of rhubarb

b : the tart, succulent, usually pink or red petioles of rhubarb used especially in pies and preserves

2 : the dried rhizome and roots of any of various rhubarbs (such as Rheum officinale and R. palmatum) grown chiefly in temperate parts of China and used in folk medicine especially as a laxative, diuretic, and ulcer treatment

3 : a heated dispute or controversy

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Examples of rhubarb in a Sentence

The coach got into a rhubarb with the umpire. a basketball coach whose ranting rhubarbs with officials are the stuff of legend

Recent Examples on the Web Potischman is not a fan of syrupy-sweet pies, hence the mixture of ripe blueberries and tart rhubarb in an easy homemade pie crust. — Jessica Yadegaran, The Mercury News, "Fourth of July Recipe: Simmer + Sauce’s Bluebarb Pie," 1 July 2019 Her seasonal danishes are outstanding: whorls of buttery dough festooned with crunchy sugar crystals and filled with guava or strawberry-rhubarb jams. — Chris Morocco, Bon Appétit, "Rockaway Beach Bakery Is the Real Reason I Go to the Beach," 9 Aug. 2019 The rhubarb-almond cake ($10) lets both ingredients shine through in a moist, chewy cake. — Daliah Singer, The Know, "Restaurant review: The food satisfies, but Jovanina’s good looks are what really entice diners," 6 Aug. 2019 Finish with chocolate peanut butter bar, strawberry-rhubarb verrine or peach financier. — Michael Mayo, sun-sentinel.com, "Trouble sorting out 250 Miami Spice options? Try these 9 restaurants," 1 Aug. 2019 On a recent afternoon when the elusive sun was shining, Lawrence’s wife, son and an employee bent toward the soil on his organic farm, working to get rhubarb starts in the ground. — Ally Marotti, chicagotribune.com, "'This is farming like we’ve never done before.' Illinois hemp farmers face risks with first planting of newly legal crop.," 14 June 2019 On a recent afternoon when the elusive sun was shining, Lawrence’s wife, son and an employee bent toward the soil on his organic farm, working to get rhubarb starts in the ground. — Ally Marotti, San Diego Union-Tribune, "‘This is farming like we’ve never done before.’ Illinois hemp farmers face risks with first planting of newly legal crop," 14 June 2019 At Celsious, customers doing the wash snack on rhubarb rose tarts at the cafe, sip organic kombucha on tap, attend free meditation classes and fold their jeans in a spacious backyard patio festooned with pink Azaleas. ... — Anne Kadet, WSJ, "Latest Spin on Laundromats Includes Pastries, Movie Nights and Maybe Even Karaoke," 28 May 2019 Hothouse rhubarb is available almost year-round in some regions. — Darlene Zimmerman, Detroit Free Press, "Rhubarb season is here. Time to make bread.," 28 Apr. 2018

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

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Last Updated

4 Dec 2019

Cite this Entry

“Rhubarb.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rhubarb?utm_campaign=sd&utm_medium=serp&utm_source=jsonld. Accessed 10 December 2019.

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More Definitions for rhubarb

rhubarb

noun

English Language Learners Definition of rhubarb

: a plant with large green leaves and with thick pink or red stems that are cooked and used in pies, jams, etc.

US, informal + old-fashioned : an angry argument

See the full definition for rhubarb in the English Language Learners Dictionary

rhubarb

rhu·barb | \ ˈrü-ˌbärb

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Kids Definition of rhubarb

: the thick juicy pink or red stems of a garden plant that have a tart flavor and are used cooked especially in jams and desserts

rhubarb

rhu·barb | \ ˈrü-ˌbärb

\

Medical Definition of rhubarb

1 : any of several plants of the genus Rheum having large leaves with thick succulent petioles often used as food

2 : the dried rhizome and roots of any of several rhubarbs (especially Rheum officinale and R. palmatum) grown in China and Tibet and used as a purgative and stomachic

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reiterate

to state or do over again or repeatedly

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