ENGLISH
REFERENCE

angelica

n. uncountable
C2 Proficiency US //ˈændʒəˌɫikə// UK //ændʒˈɛlɪkɐ// an·gel·i·ca

n. a tall plant with small green or white flowers. People use its sweet-smelling stems in cooking, especially to decorate cakes or make medicine.

n. a tall aromatic plant of the parsley family, specifically Angelica archangelica. The candied stems are used in confectionery, while the roots and seeds are employed in herbal medicine and flavoring liqueurs.


SIMPLE

She decorated the cake with green pieces of candied angelica.

CONTEXTUAL

The recipe calls for chopped angelica to add a unique, herbal sweetness to the traditional fruitcake.

COMPLEX

Wild angelica thrives in damp soil near riverbanks, though the cultivated variety is more commonly sought for its medicinal properties and its role in flavoring botanical spirits like gin.

Synonyms
Origin

Church Italian Angelica, from Latin angelica or a Latinate elaboration of Angela. Name of a heroine in Ariosto's Orlando Furioso (1516).

Usage

Uncountable when referring to the plant species or the culinary ingredient; countable when referring to individual plants.

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