ENGLISH
REFERENCE

asparagus

n. uncountable
B1 Intermediate US //əˈspɛɹəɡəs// UK //ɐspˈæɹəɡəs// as·para·gus

n. a long, thin green vegetable with a pointed end. You usually eat the top part after cooking it.

n. a spring vegetable consisting of the tender young shoots of a lily-like plant. Often steamed, grilled, or roasted as a side dish.


SIMPLE

I like to roast asparagus with olive oil and salt.

CONTEXTUAL

The chef served grilled salmon alongside a bunch of fresh, seasonal asparagus spears.

COMPLEX

While white asparagus is prized in parts of Europe for its delicate flavor, the green variety remains more common in supermarkets due to its robust texture and higher nutrient content.

Origin

Borrowed from Medieval Latin asparagus, sparagus, from Ancient Greek ἀσπάραγος (aspáragos), variant of ἀσφάραγος (aspháragos). Displaced Old English eorþnafola. Later became an eggcorn in dialect as sparrowgrass.

Usage

Typically treated as uncountable when referring to the vegetable as a food item, though 'spears' is used for counting individual stalks.

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