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

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

In 2017, a team at MIT was able to cause watercress plants to glow for about four hours.

From NewsForKids.net

He enhanced the meat’s flavor with a rich whiskey-shallot-ostrich broth reduction, serving wilted watercress and mashed turnips and rutabagas on the side.

From Seattle Times