cardoon
cardoon Lexical Profile
• noun
The thick, fleshy, silver-green leaf stalks of the plant Cynara cardunculus, closely related to the globe artichoke and blanched and cooked as a culinary vegetable with a savory, slightly bitter, artichoke-like flavor.
"The chef braised the tender cardoon stalks in olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice for a traditional Mediterranean winter dish."
A large, thistle-like perennial plant (Cynara cardunculus) of the daisy family Asteraceae, native to the Mediterranean region and cultivated both as a food crop and as an ornamental garden plant for its silvery, deeply lobed foliage and striking, spiky purple-blue flower heads.
"Several tall cardoons stood at the back of the garden border, their vivid violet blossoms attracting dozens of bumblebees."
• Rhymes for cardoon
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the early 17th century from French cardon, from Provençal cardoun, ultimately derived from Latin carduus, meaning 'thistle' or 'artichoke'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.