artichoke

[ ahr-ti-chohk ]

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.

artichoke

/ ˈɑːtɪˌtʃəʊk /

noun

1. Also calledglobe 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
   See Jerusalem artichoke

Word History and Origins

Origin of artichoke¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of artichoke¹

C16: from Italian articiocco, from Old Spanish alcarchofa, from Arabic al-kharshūf

Example Sentences

It’s okay if there is space left in the pot, but the more room you give the artichokes, the more they will expand and flatten as they steam.

From Washington Post

Turns out stuffed artichokes are a bit more nuanced than I expected.

From Washington Post

This spring, as the saint’s feast day approaches on March 19, I started craving my mother’s stuffed artichokes.

From Washington Post

Gather any crumbs on the plate and add them to the artichoke, as well.

From Washington Post

Place the trimmed artichoke petal side down and the peeled stems in the bowl of lemon water to prevent browning.

From Washington Post

Page Six says they dined on mussel soup, crayfish and artichoke risotto at a tony Venetian restaurant.

From The Daily Beast

There, Artichoke interrogation experiments were taking place at a safe house called Haus Waldorf.

From The Daily Beast

The goal of the Artichoke interrogation program, Marks explains, was “modifying behavior through covert means.”

From The Daily Beast

So the next day I went out and I bought a microwave oven and I made an artichoke in the microwave.

From The Daily Beast

Look for endless artichoke fields and grazing roadside cows.

From The Daily Beast

He had never tried to eat an artichoke, and his first essay in this difficult and complex craft was a sad fiasco.

From Project Gutenberg

This species of artichoke is more valuable than the common artichoke.

From Project Gutenberg

If it were not I, thou knowest, long since thou wouldst have been put ashore, heart of an artichoke—va!

From Project Gutenberg

The edible part of a French Artichoke is the base of the scales and the bottom of the artichoke.

From Project Gutenberg

Quitch-grass or wiregrass, Burmuda grass, white potato and artichoke are examples of underground stems.

From Project Gutenberg