salsify

[ sal-suh-fee ]

noun

, plural sal·si·fies.

1. a purple-flowered, composite plant, Tragopogon porrifolius, whose root has an oyster-like flavor and is used as a culinary vegetable.

salsify

/ ˈsælsɪfɪ /

noun

1. Also calledoyster plantvegetable oyster a Mediterranean plant, Tragopogon porrifolius, having grasslike leaves, purple flower heads, and a long white edible taproot: family Asteraceae (composites)
2. the root of this plant, which tastes of oysters and is eaten as a vegetable

Word History and Origins

Origin of salsify¹

1690–1700; < French salsifis, variant of sassefy, sassef ( r ) ique < Italian sassef ( r ) ica ) < ?

Word History and Origins

Origin of salsify¹

C17: from French salsifis, from Italian sassefrica, from Late Latin saxifrica, from Latin saxum rock + fricāre to rub

Example Sentences

In recent years, plant-based eating has become more about Silicon Valley and stock prices than the Salinas Valley and salsify.

From Washington Post

Butter-poached salsify, a pale, mild root vegetable that resembles a less-sweet parsnip, was dolled up to dazzling effect with sumac and dots of puréed fruit — tart grapefruit and sweet dates.

From Seattle Times

What to make of the word “mushroom,” trailed by “shiso,” “salsify” and “egg yolk fudge”? Make sure to try it, a server practically insists.

From Washington Post

Even with the best storage conditions, it’s generally not worth sowing celery, parsley, parsnip or salsify seeds after they are more than a year old.

From Seattle Times

Then it was spinach, followed by kohlrabi, salsify, cucumbers, tomatoes, sauerkraut, etc., etc.

From Literature