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broccoli

Pronunciation: /ˈbrɒkəli/

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Definition of broccoli

noun

[mass noun]
  • a cultivated variety of cabbage which bears heads of green or purplish flower buds that are eaten as a vegetable.
    • There are several kinds of broccoli, in particular those in the ‘Italica’ group, including sprouting broccoli, which bears small loose clusters of heads on several shoots, and the bright green dense-headed variety which is also called calabrese

Origin:

mid 17th century: from Italian, plural of broccolo 'cabbage sprout, head', diminutive of brocco 'shoot', based on Latin brocchus, broccus 'projecting'

Spelling help

Remember that broccoli has a double c and one l; it is an Italian word.

Spelling tip

broccoli is better than cabbage, cauliflower, or leeks.

broccoli in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of broccoli in the US English dictionary