Word
alfalfa
Phoneticsal·fal·fa
US/ˌæɫˈfæɫfə/
UK/ælfˈælfɐ/
Definition
n. a tall plant with small green leaves that grows in many parts of the world. It is very important for feeding horses and cows because it is full of protein.
n. a perennial leguminous plant, Medicago sativa, widely cultivated as a forage crop for livestock.
Examples
“The farmer grows alfalfa to feed his cows.”
“Because of its high protein content, alfalfa is a staple in the diet of many large animals like horses and sheep.”
“The rotation of alfalfa with other crops helps improve soil fertility by fixing atmospheric nitrogen, making it a vital component of sustainable agricultural practices.”
Examples
simple
“The farmer grows alfalfa to feed his cows.”
contextual
“Because of its high protein content, alfalfa is a staple in the diet of many large animals like horses and sheep.”
complex
“The rotation of alfalfa with other crops helps improve soil fertility by fixing atmospheric nitrogen, making it a vital component of sustainable agricultural practices.”
Real-World Examples
“A herder helps to move a flock of sheep near California's border with Mexico to graze on alfalfa in 2025.” “Of 34 sick people interviewed, 26 reported eating alfalfa sprouts, according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).” Etymology
PIE word *h₁éḱwos Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *HéHḱus Proto-Indo-European *h₁éḱwos Proto-Indo-Iranian *Háćwas Proto-Iranian *Hácwah Proto-Iranian *Hástiš Proto-Iranian *HacwaHastiš Old Median *aspāstišder. Arabic فَصْفَص (faṣfaṣ)bor. Old Spanish alfalfez Spanish alfalfabor. English alfalfa From Spanish alfalfa, from Old Spanish alfalfez, from Arabic الْفَصْفَصَة (al-faṣfaṣa, “alfalfa, lucerne”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/alfalfa