arugula

American  

[uh-roo-guh-luh] / əˈru gə lə /

noun

• arugulas
  plural

1. a Mediterranean plant, Eruca vesicaria sativa, of the mustard family, having pungent leaves used in salads.

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arugula British  

/ əˈruːɡjʊlə /

noun

1. another name for rocket 2

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• arugulas
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of arugula

1965–70; apparently < an Upper Italian dial. form, akin to Lombard arigola, Venetian rucola < Latin ērūca name for Eruca sativa (compare Italian ruca ), with diminutive suffix -ola < Latin -ula -ule; cf. rocket ²

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Explanation

Arugula is a leafy green plant that's commonly used in salad. It's fairly easy to grow arugula in a small garden. In the U.S., this plant is usually called arugula, while in the U.K. it's more often called rocket. Many backyard gardeners like to grow arugula, which is one of the earliest plants to be harvested, since it's fairly tolerant of cold. The Latin name is Eruca sativa, but arugula comes from an Italian dialect's variation on ruchetta, the plant's name in Italy.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

arugula

You can also add depth and variety to your soup by adding any salad greens, like arugula, spinach, kale, or watercress.

From Salon ● Jul. 25, 2026

Spinach, arugula, fennel, celery, and kale are also good dietary sources.

From Science Daily ● May 25, 2026

I get the chicken with arugula on top.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 24, 2026

An hour's drive north of New York City, the greenhouses at Cropsey Farm are seeing their first leaves of kale, spinach and arugula emerge.

From Barron's ● Apr. 11, 2026

“Any arugula stuck in there, or am I in the clear?”

From "The House That Lou Built" by Mae Respicio

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