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cruciferous

American  
[kroo-sif-er-uhs] / kruˈsɪf ər əs /

adjective

  1. bearing a cross.

  2. Botany. belonging to the family Cruciferae (or Brassicaceae), the mustard family of plants; brassicaceous.

    Are you getting enough broccoli, cauliflower, and other cruciferous vegetables in your diet?


cruciferous British  
/ kruːˈsɪfərəs /

adjective

  1. of, relating to, or belonging to the plant family Cruciferae See crucifer

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of cruciferous

From Late Latin crucifer + -ous; cruciferous def. 1 was first recorded in 1650–60; cruciferous def. 2 in 1850–55; crucifer, -ous

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The broccoli rabe was turned into a kind of cruciferous pesto.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 26, 2025

In this case, if you look at all of the observational research on cruciferous vegetables and colon cancer, it appears that people who eat more of the veggies have less cancer.

From Slate • Sep. 5, 2025

Root vegetables — like carrots, onions, potatoes and beets — winter squashes, cruciferous vegetables and greens are just a few notable cold-weather favorites.

From Salon • Feb. 23, 2024

This included 11 studies of soy isoflavones, three of cruciferous vegetables, two of green tea, three of lignans, and three of enterolactone, which is formed in the gut when lignans are digested.

From Science Daily • Jan. 10, 2024

He has a cruciferous nimbus, and is blessing with the right hand, whilst with the left He holds an open book inscribed "Ego svm lvx vera."

From The Shores of the Adriatic The Austrian Side, The Küstenlande, Istria, and Dalmatia by Jackson, F. Hamilton (Frederick Hamilton)