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.

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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

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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

Feedlot cows are given a special blend of hay, alfalfa, soybean meal, sometimes almond hulls and even what we’d call leftovers — human candy and leftover baked goods.

From Los Angeles Times

Fondomonte, part of the Saudi dairy giant Almarai, is by far the largest water user in the area, using dozens of wells to to irrigate alfalfa that it ships overseas to the Middle East.

From Los Angeles Times

Riverview has supplied its expanding dairy operation with cattle feed by growing wheat, alfalfa and corn.

From Los Angeles Times

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