Kales

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /keɪls/

Definitions

  1. Plural term used for several types of hardy leafy greens from the cabbage family; a Scottish dish made with potatoes and this vegetable; in some contexts, alternative spelling for a surname or place name
  2. Used to refer to multiple kinds of nutritious, crinkly-leaved vegetables in the brassica group; a traditional Scottish mashed potato and greens recipe; may signify a last name or geographic designation
  3. Denotes various robust edible greens grown for their leaves; a customary dish from Scotland combining greens and potatoes; sometimes employed as a variation of a proper noun such as a family or location name

Etymology: This leafy green vegetable’s name traces back to the Old English word "cal," which referred to cabbage. The plural form, used for multiple leaves or varieties, shifted over time into "kales," reflecting the plant’s close relationship to other brassicas. The term has been part of English since at least the Middle Ages, when kale was a common staple in northern European diets due to its hardiness in colder climates. The word’s roots extend further into the Latin "caulis," meaning "stem" or "cabbage," which influenced many European languages’ words for cabbage and related plants. This Latin term likely came from a Proto-Indo-European root connected to stems or stalks, emphasizing the plant’s robust structure. Kale’s culinary and agricultural significance helped preserve the word in English, even as other cabbage-related terms evolved. The plural "kales" is now mostly used to refer to different varieties or multiple leaves, though the singular form remains more common in everyday speech. This pluralization reflects English’s typical pattern of adding -s to form plurals, especially for countable plant types. While kale was once considered humble folk fare, its recent rise in popularity as a health food has brought renewed attention to this old word, anchoring it firmly in modern culinary vocabulary.

Synonyms: curly kale, dinosaur kale, lacinato kale