artichoke

American  

[ahr-ti-chohk] / ˈɑr tɪˌtʃoʊk /

noun

1. a tall, thistlelike composite plant, Cynara scolymus, native to the Mediterranean region, of which the numerous scalelike bracts and receptacle of the immature flower head are eaten as a vegetable.

2. the large, rounded, closed flower head itself.

3. Jerusalem artichoke.

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artichoke British  

/ ˈɑːtɪˌtʃəʊk /

noun

1. Also called: globe artichoke.  a thistle-like Eurasian plant, Cynara scolymus, cultivated for its large edible flower head containing many fleshy scalelike bracts: family Asteraceae (composites)

2. the unopened flower head of this plant, which can be cooked and eaten

3. See Jerusalem artichoke

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Etymology

Origin of artichoke

1525–35; < Upper Italian articiocco, variant (by dissimilation) of arciciocco, arcicioffo < *arcarcioffo < Old Spanish alcarchofa < dialectal Arabic al-kharshūf the artichoke

Example Sentences

The Salinas Valley stretches for about 90 miles across the county and is lined with rows of berries, lettuce, spinach, artichokes and cauliflower.

From Los Angeles Times

Italian restaurant-goers were advised to ditch steak and potatoes to try “authentic” Italian food like artichokes, and the “peculiarly seasoned tomato sauce.”

From Los Angeles Times

It’s best to stick to simple dishes that are portable, like a baked spaghetti casserole, an artichoke potato salad, or a batch of sweet and salty deviled eggs.

From Salon

Almost all the plants in their garden are California natives, except for the plants producing food, such as their giant artichoke bush, or flowers for bouquets.

From Los Angeles Times

Additionally, it can be found in beans, artichokes, and sweet potatoes, and in fermented foods such as sourdough bread, as well as miso, kimchi, and sauerkraut.

From Science Daily