canola
canola Lexical Profile
canola Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A light, neutral-tasting, edible vegetable oil extracted from the seeds of the canola plant, widely used in cooking, baking, and frying due to its low saturated fat content.
"The recipe recommends using canola instead of butter to create a moister and heart-healthier cake."
A selectively bred, bright yellow-flowering variety of rapeseed (in the mustard family Brassicaceae), originally developed in Canada and cultivated extensively for its seeds.
"The farmer decided to rotate his wheat crops with canola to improve soil health and take advantage of the growing demand for seed oil."
Word Nuance & Usage
While often used interchangeably with rapeseed, 'canola' legally and agriculturally refers specifically to varieties bred to have strictly limited levels of erucic acid and glucosinolates, making it safe for human and animal consumption.
• Rhymes for canola
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in Canada in the 1970s as a portmanteau or acronym derived from 'Can' (Canada) + 'o' (oil) + 'l' (low) + 'a' (acid), created to market the newly bred, safe-to-consume variety of rapeseed.