fennel

[ fen-l ]

noun

1. a plant, Foeniculum vulgare, of the parsley family, having feathery leaves and umbels of small, yellow flowers.
2. Also fennel seed. the aromatic fruits of Foeniculum vulgare, used in cooking and medicine.
3. any of various plants more or less similar to Foeniculum vulgare, such as Ferula communis giant fennel, a tall, ornamental plant.

fennel

/ ˈfɛnəl /

noun

1. a strong-smelling yellow-flowered umbelliferous plant, Foeniculum vulgare , whose seeds and feathery leaves are used to season and flavour food See also finocchio
2. another name for mayweed

Word History and Origins

Origin of fennel¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English fenel, Old English fenol, variant of finu ( g ) l from unattested Vulgar Latin fenuclum, for Latin fēniculum, faeniculum, equivalent to faeni- (combining form of faenum “hay”) + -culum -cle ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of fennel¹

Old English fenol , from Latin faeniculum fennel, diminutive of faenum hay

Example Sentences

I pass through fragrant California sagebrush and wild fennel in one spot, a blend of sweet pea, lilac and kicked-up dirt in another.

From Los Angeles Times

If you are slicing fennel for salad, save the stem and put it in your salad too, or save it for stock or broth.

From Salon

Some common aromatic herbs have the limited ability to drive off mosquitoes, such as rosemary, garlic, basil, thyme and fennel.

From Los Angeles Times

It belongs to the carrot family and therefore resembles carrots, parsley and fennel.

From Seattle Times

So Podesta whipped up risotto with leeks and fennel, infusing a classic Italian dish with vegetables that can be found in Chinese recipes.

From Seattle Times

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