watercress

[ waw-ter-kres, wot-er- ]

noun

1. a cress, Nasturtium officinale, of the mustard family, usually growing in clear, running streams and having pungent leaves.
2. the leaves, used for salads, soups, and as a garnish.

watercress

/ ˈwɔːtəˌkrɛs /

noun

1. an Old World plant, Nasturtium officinale , of clear ponds and streams, having pungent leaves that are used in salads and as a garnish: family Brassicaceae (crucifers)
2. any of several similar or related plants

Word History and Origins

Origin of watercress¹

1300–50; Middle English; cognate with Middle Dutch, Middle Low German waterkerse. See water, cress

Example Sentences

“The beauty of watercress is that you don’t need machinery or massive investment. It’s just you and a pair of gumboots and a knife,” says Charlton, who harvests around 30,000 bunches every year for sale to farm shops and restaurants in Paris.

From BBC

His family have been watercress farmers here since the 1850s, but until a chef told him of a farm he had seen in Japan that grew something similar, he had not grown anything else.

From BBC

He ate dandelion greens, birch bark, pigweed, wild onions, mushrooms, grass seed, watercress.

From Literature

Researchers from Devon believe the healing properties of watercress could pave the way for new skin treatments.

From BBC

The pair believe a chemical compound found in watercress could help treat nappy rash, dermatitis and eczema.

From BBC