Broccoli

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈbɹɒ.kə.li/

Definitions

1. A nutritious green vegetable resembling a miniature tree, commonly served in various culinary preparations and known for its health benefits
2. This edible plant features green florets atop a stalk, widely appreciated for its versatility in dishes and nutrient density
3. A green vegetable consisting of tightly clustered florets on a thick stalk, often cooked or eaten raw for its nutritional value

Etymology: Broccoli is grammatically a plural. In Italian, "broccoli" is the plural of "broccolo", a word for a cabbage sprout or head, and English borrowed the plural form as if it were a singular noun, first recorded in 1699. The Italian "broccolo" is a diminutive of "brocco", meaning a shoot or sprout, so the vegetable's name is literally "little sprouts." That base word goes back to Latin "broccus", meaning pointed, sharp, or projecting, and used of protruding teeth. Its exact source is uncertain, but it may come from a Gaulish word, and it is related to Celtic words for a tip or point, such as Old English "brord", meaning a spike. The same root gave English "brochure" and "brad", and "brocade" comes from the Italian "brocco" too, since the sprouting or projecting threads of the fabric share that idea of something pointed.

Synonyms: cabbage, vegetable