purslane
purslane Lexical Profile
purslane Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A low-growing annual succulent plant (Portulaca oleracea) of the family Portulacaceae, having reddish stems, fleshy wedge-shaped leaves, and small yellow flowers, widely found in temperate and tropical regions.
"Although many gardeners pull purslane as a common weed, the resilient succulent thrives in dry, sunny soil."
The crisp, succulent leaves and tender stems of the purslane plant, having a slightly sour and salty flavor and eaten raw in salads or cooked as a leafy green vegetable.
"The chef tossed fresh purslane with diced tomatoes, cucumbers, and olive oil for a bright summer salad."
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late 14th century from Old French porcelaine, a variant of porcelet, which altered Late Latin porcilaca (from Classical Latin portulaca) by folk etymology association with Latin porcus ('pig').
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.