Cauliflower Meaning
/ˈkɒl.i.flaʊ.ə/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounBrassica oleracea var. botrytis, an annual variety of cabbage, of which the cluster of young flower stalks and buds is eaten as a vegetable.
nounThe edible head or curd of a cauliflower plant.
Sentence Examples
Cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education.
Cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts are all cultivars of the same species.
CEFR Practice Quiz
She roasted a whole head of ____ with garlic and olive oil.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
I decided to roast some fresh ____ for a side dish with my dinner.
Word Origin & History
From 16th century cole-florye, equivalent to cole (from Latin caulis) + flower, reformed to more closely match the Latin etymon. Cognate with French chou-fleur, Italian cavolfiore.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"ASPARAGUS, cauliflowers, imperial Sileſia, royal and cabbage lettuces, burnet, purſlain, cucumbers, naſturtian flowers, peaſe and beans ſown in October, artichokes, ſcarlet ſtrawberries, and kidney beans."
— 1767, A Lady [Hannah Glasse], The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Eaſy […] , page 326:
"His ears were small (fortunately so, given his dramatic hairstyle) and bore no traditional cauliflowers."
— 2018, John Harding, The Whitechapel Whirlwind: The Jack Kid Berg Story:
"I noticed his right ear was badly cauliflowered and that explained a number of things. It wasn't a new job of cauliflowering."
— 1947, Elliott Chaze, The Stainless Steel Kimono, page 49:
"Returning to your first point, the cauliflowering of magnesite bricks — we presume that this is due to your using high concentrations of oxygen for blowing the furnace, giving high checker-temperatures."
— 1960, Transactions of the British Ceramic Society, page 281:
"The soft steel of the back edge by now has cauliflowered over from hammering on it."
— 1974, Alexander G. Weygers, The Modern Blacksmith, page 39:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
She roasted a whole head of ____ with garlic and olive oil.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
I decided to roast some fresh ____ for a side dish with my dinner.