spinach

[spin-ich]

noun

1. a plant, Spinacia oleracea, cultivated for its edible, crinkly or flat leaves.

2. the leaves.

spinach

/ -ɪtʃ, ˈspɪnɪdʒ /

noun

1. a chenopodiaceous annual plant, Spinacia oleracea, cultivated for its dark green edible leaves

2. the leaves of this plant, eaten as a vegetable

Other Word Forms

• spinachlike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of spinach¹

First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English spinache, spinage, spinarch, from Anglo-French spinache, from Old French espinache, espinage, espinoche, from Medieval Latin spinargium, spinachium, spinarchium, ultimately from Arabic isfānākh, isfināj, perhaps from Persian isfānāj, ispānāk, aspānāk

Word History and Origins

Origin of spinach¹

C16: from Old French espinache, from Old Spanish espinaca, from Arabic isfānākh, from Persian

Example Sentences

The 45-year-old works with a small team to cultivate rows of vegetables – including beans, spinach, cauliflower and tomatoes.

From BBC

The dust particles are made up of agricultural chemicals from miles of lettuce and spinach fields, manure from livestock operations, diesel exhaust, unpaved roads and fine debris from lithium mining.

From Los Angeles Times

I’d also have some scrambled eggs, sautéed spinach and some fruit on the side.

From Los Angeles Times

It could be as basic as protein powder, collagen and a greens powder or it can be as elaborate as all the berries, hemp seeds, beet powder and spinach.

From Los Angeles Times

Vegetables like cabbage, spinach, kale and spring greens, introduced by colonial authorities before the 1960s, are more readily available and cheaper.

From BBC

Related Words

• blue-green 
• olive