broccoli

noun

broc·​co·​li ˈbrä-kə-lē How to pronounce broccoli (audio)
ˈbrä-klē
1
chiefly British : a large hardy cauliflower
2
a
: either of two garden vegetable plants closely related to the cabbage:
(1)
: one with a thick central stem and a compact head of dense usually green florets that is classified with the cauliflower
(2)
: one (Brassica oleracea var. italica) with slender stems and usually green or purple florets not arranged in a central head
b
: the stems and immature florets of broccoli used as food

Did you know?

A fast-growing, upright, branched, annual plant, broccoli bears dense green clusters of edible flower buds. Native to the eastern Mediterranean and Asia Minor, it was introduced to the US probably in colonial times. Broccoli thrives in moderate to cool climates. Its flavor resembles that of cabbage but is somewhat milder. It is one of the most broadly nutritious of all common vegetables and is a plant that is closely related to cabbage in the mustard family.

Examples of broccoli in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The broccoli florets were originally distributed to select Walmart stores in Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 4 Feb. 2025 Crispy and salty Roasted Cheddar Broccoli is an elevated take on broccoli with cheese sauce. Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 3 Feb. 2025 Sweet alyssum and stock, which are members of the mustard family (that includes cabbage and broccoli) are winter bloomers with both leaves and flowers that are edible. Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 30 Jan. 2025 But the device is less intuitive than the current generation of high-end juicers, leafy greens required a bit of fiddling to push through the feeder tube, and the device struggled with fibrous vegetables such as pineapple and broccoli. Matthew Korfhage, WIRED, 29 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for broccoli 

Word History

Etymology

Italian, plural of broccolo flowering top of a cabbage, diminutive of brocco small nail, sprout

First Known Use

1699, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of broccoli was in 1699

Dictionary Entries Near broccoli

Cite this Entry

“Broccoli.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/broccoli. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

broccoli

noun
broc·​co·​li ˈbräk-(ə-)lē How to pronounce broccoli (audio)
: an open branching form of cauliflower that bears young flowering shoots used as a vegetable

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