alfalfa

American  

[al-fal-fuh] / ælˈfæl fə /

noun

1. a plant, Medicago sativa, of the legume family, usually having bluish-purple flowers, originating in western Asia and widely cultivated as a forage crop.

---

alfalfa British  

/ ælˈfælfə /

noun

1. Also called: lucerne.  a leguminous plant, Medicago sativa, of Europe and Asia, having compound leaves with three leaflets and clusters of small purplish flowers. It is widely cultivated for forage and as a nitrogen fixer and used as a commercial source of chlorophyll

---

Etymology

Origin of alfalfa

First recorded in 1835–45; from Spanish, variant of alfalfez, from Spanish Arabic al “the” + faṣfaṣah from Persian ispist “lucerne”

Example Sentences

He owns a large farming operation that grows sugar beets, alfalfa and melons and is one of the largest operators in the area.

From Los Angeles Times

Abatti owns a large farming operation in the Imperial Valley, growing crops including sugar beets, alfalfa and melons.

From Los Angeles Times

“From here you go into the world of alfalfa sprouts.”

From Los Angeles Times

Walnut trees and alfalfa are two of the main crops in Chihuahua's Rio Conchos Valley, both of which require a lot of watering – walnut trees need on average 250 litres a day.

From BBC

This concept of overgrazing can also involve more than resources and alfalfa fields.

From Salon