Asparagus Meaning
/əˈspæɹ.ə.ɡəs/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounAny of various perennial plants of the genus Asparagus having leaflike stems, scalelike leaves, and small flowers.
nounThe young shoots of Asparagus officinalis eaten as a vegetable.
Sentence Examples
How many minutes shall I boil this frozen asparagus?
You can still get asparagus in the winter.
CEFR Practice Quiz
For dinner, he grilled fresh ____ and served it with lemon butter sauce.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
I love to eat fresh grilled ____ with a little bit of lemon and salt.
Word Origin & History
Borrowed from Medieval Latin asparagus, sparagus, from Ancient Greek ἀσπάραγος (aspáragos), variant of ἀσφάραγος (aspháragos). Displaced Old English eorþnafola. Later became an eggcorn in dialect as sparrowgrass.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"At the greenmarket, it’s still mostly potatoes and apples. There are no tender greens, fava beans, peas, asparagus, artichokes, sorrel, rhubarb or early strawberries.
Those harbingers of the season are said to be full of chi, or qi, the Chinese word for life force. We’re craving them as we’re craving lighter, brighter-tasting meals, food that is greener and fresher."
— 2013 April 2, David Tanis, “Hurry Up, Spring”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 02 Apr 2013, Dining & Wine:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
For dinner, he grilled fresh ____ and served it with lemon butter sauce.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
I love to eat fresh grilled ____ with a little bit of lemon and salt.