spinach

play

noun spin·ach \ ˈspi-nich \

Definition of spinach

1 :an Asian herb (Spinacia oleracea) of the goosefoot family cultivated for its edible leaves which form in a dense basal rosette; also :its leaves

2 a :something unwanted, pretentious, or spurious

b :an untidy overgrowth

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spinachlike

play \ˈspi-nich-ˌlīk\ adjective

—

spinachy

play \ˈspi-ni-chē\ adjective

See spinach defined for English-language learners

See spinach defined for kids

Recent Examples of spinach from the Web

The Whispering Beard grilled cheese was good, with mushrooms, spinach, pepper jack and ranch on Health Nut.

— polly campbell, Cincinnati.com, "Peace, Love and Hippie Hash in Warren County," 30 Aug. 2017
Before long, rows of spinach, sour leaf and other vegetables had been planted and were growing behind the church building.

— bob smietana, Washington Post, "How a group of refugees saved a church on the brink of collapsing," 18 Aug. 2017
Eat foods like spinach, egg yolk and red bell pepper.

— by samantha j. gross, miamiherald, "Here’s how you can protect your eyes from damage during the total eclipse," 13 Aug. 2017
I’ve embraced raised beds, composting, garden snakes, and growing Malabar spinach.

— mari a. schaefer, Philly.com, "Meet the reporter behind the new wellness beat," 30 July 2017
Eat foods that are high in Vitamin K. Vitamin K, which is found in foods like broccoli, kale, spinach, and brown rice, helps the body absorb clots of pooled blood, including those causing your hickey.

— caitlin fay, Cosmopolitan, "6 Surprising Ways to Get Rid of a Hickey," 12 July 2017
A spinach salad with hot bacon dressing, a once-ubiquitous choice, is rarely seen these days, so this was a nice retro dish and a good one.

— polly campbell, Cincinnati.com, "Review: Trotta's Steak and Seafood keeps old school menu," 12 July 2017
But there’s also an extended happy hour that features a stellar cheeseburger ($7) along with the usual bar fare of wings and spinach-artichoke dip.

— tan vinh, The Seattle Times, "7 new Seattle happy hours: $7 craft cocktails, dollar deviled eggs and more," 5 July 2017
The brunch menu from the food truck includes fruit salad, potato poutine, sausage, egg and cheese sandwich, cinnamon flapjacks, and a spinach, bacon and cheese omelet.

— dana mcmahan, The Courier-Journal, "Milkwood, Kaiju and Village Anchor offer fun for those 21 and older," 5 July 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of spinach

Middle English spinache, from Anglo-French, alteration of Old French espinaces, from Medieval Latin spinachium, ultimately from Arabic isfānākh, from Pers

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

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Other Food Terms

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

SPINACH Defined for English Language Learners

spinach

play

noun

Definition of spinach for English Language Learners

: a plant with dark green leaves that are eaten as a vegetable

SPINACH Defined for Kids

spinach

play

noun spin·ach \ ˈspi-nich \

Definition of spinach for Students

:a garden plant with usually large dark green leaves that are eaten cooked or raw as a vegetable

Learn More about spinach

See words that rhyme with spinach Spanish Central: Translation of spinach Nglish: Translation of spinach for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of spinach for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about spinach

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spinach

Definition of spinach

spinachlike

spinachy

Recent Examples of spinach from the Web

Origin and Etymology of spinach

Other Food Terms

SPINACH Defined for English Language Learners

spinach

Definition of spinach for English Language Learners

SPINACH Defined for Kids

spinach

Definition of spinach for Students

Learn More about spinach

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spinach

Definition of spinach

spinachlike

spinachy

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Origin and Etymology of spinach

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SPINACH Defined for English Language Learners

spinach

Definition of spinach for English Language Learners

SPINACH Defined for Kids

spinach

Definition of spinach for Students

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