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

Fresh produce Fruits and vegetables like berries, avocados, bananas and spinach rarely survive long enough for smaller households to get their money's worth, savvy shoppers say. —Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 28 Nov. 2025

Place spinach in a large bowl; drizzle vinegar mixture all over, and toss to coat. —Sabrina Weiss, PEOPLE, 28 Nov. 2025

Try adding a tablespoon to a banana-spinach smoothie or mix them into a berry-cocoa blend. —Lauren Panoff, Verywell Health, 27 Nov. 2025

Floss picks for discreetly handling that spinach or poppy seed situation. —Cody Godwin, USA Today, 25 Nov. 2025

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