jerusalem artichoke
• noun
The knobby, thin-skinned, edible underground tuber of a North American sunflower species (Helianthus tuberosus), eaten raw as a crisp root vegetable or cooked for its sweet, nutty, artichoke-like flavor.
"The chef roasted the sliced Jerusalem artichokes with olive oil, thyme, and sea salt until they were tender and caramelized."
A tall, herbaceous perennial plant of the daisy family (Helianthus tuberosus) native to central North America, bearing rough, hairy leaves and bright yellow, daisy-like sunflower blossoms with golden ray florets in late summer.
"A dense row of Jerusalem artichokes grew along the garden fence, displaying bright yellow blossoms high above the other vegetables."
Word Nuance & Usage
Despite its name, the Jerusalem artichoke has no connection to Jerusalem and is not a true artichoke; 'Jerusalem' is a folk-etymological corruption of the Italian word 'girasole' (sunflower), while 'artichoke' refers to the similar flavor of its edible tuber.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.