asparagus
asparagus Lexical Profile
• noun
The tender, edible springtime shoots of a tall plant belonging to the lily family, commonly consumed as a vegetable.
"She prepared a side dish of roasted asparagus seasoned with olive oil and garlic."
Any plant of the genus Asparagus, which includes the edible vegetable species as well as various ornamental ferns.
"The gardener planted a row of asparagus crowns that would take a few years to fully mature."
Word Nuance & Usage
When referring to the vegetable, 'asparagus' is treated as an uncountable noun; individual pieces are referred to as 'spears' or 'stalks'.
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from the Latin 'asparagus', which came from the Greek 'asparagos' meaning 'sprout' or 'shoot', likely originating from an earlier Persian root.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.