# cole

/ˈkoʊɫ/ (US) · /kˈəʊl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cole
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. cabbage-like plants

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a general name for plants like cabbage, kale, or broccoli.

For teachers: any of various plants belonging to the genus Brassica, especially those cultivated as vegetables or for oilseed.

- The farmer grew different types of cole, including kale and rape, for his animals.
- The study examined the resistance of various cole crops to common pests that typically plague the Brassica family during early spring.

Usage: Often used as a collective term in agricultural or botanical contexts.

### 2. cabbage

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Dialect

an old word for a cabbage.

For teachers: a historical or dialectal term for the common cabbage.

- In the old story, the peasant ate a simple meal of boiled cole and bread.
- The medieval manuscript details the cultivation of cole in monastery gardens, highlighting its importance as a staple winter vegetable.

Teaching tip: In modern English, this survives mostly in compound words like 'coleslaw' or 'coleseed'.

### 3. a stack of hay

noun · CEFR C2 · Dialect

a small pile or stack of hay in a field.

For teachers: a small, temporary stack or stook of hay gathered together during harvest.

- The workers gathered the dried grass into a tall cole before the rain started.
- Across the Highland fields, the farmers were busy building coles to protect the summer hay from the impending Atlantic storms.

Teaching tip: This sense is specific to Scottish English and is rarely understood elsewhere.

## Examples

- The farmer grows different types of cole in his garden.
- While the term cole is rarely used alone today, it remains the linguistic root for many common vegetables like kale and cauliflower.
- The historical transition from wild cole to the diverse array of modern cultivars demonstrates the profound impact of selective breeding on the Brassica genus over several centuries.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.