spinach

noun

spin·​ach ˈspi-nich 

1

: an Asian herb (Spinacia oleracea) of the amaranth 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

spinachlike

ˈspi-nich-ˌlīk 

adjective

spinachy

ˈspi-ni-chē 

adjective

Examples of spinach in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Scatter the spinach over the sauce, then arrange the frozen chicken dumplings on top. —Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 25 Jan. 2026

Meatball and Orzo Soup is a mouthwatering dish packed with creamy orzo noodles, broth, meatballs, spinach, and Italian seasoning. —Holly Riordan, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Jan. 2026

Add the spinach in two batches, stirring until each batch wilts before adding another, about 3 minutes. —Locke-Ober, Saveur, 22 Jan. 2026

The Vegetable Ramen with spinach noodles and tofu and bell pepper, meanwhile, is an unexpected bestseller ($18). —John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 21 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

spinach

noun

spin·​ach ˈspin-ich 

: a widely grown plant with dark green leaves that are used as food

also : the leaves