# fennel

/ˈfɛnəɫ/ (US) · /fˈɛnəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/fennel
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. the vegetable bulb

noun · CEFR B2

the thick, white base of the fennel plant that you can slice and eat in salads or cook as a vegetable.

For teachers: the edible bulbous base of the fennel plant, often treated as a vegetable in culinary contexts. Uncountable when referring to the food generally; countable when referring to individual bulbs.

- I sliced the fennel thinly and tossed it with lemon juice and olive oil.
- The chef recommended braising the fennel bulbs slowly in white wine to soften their fibrous texture and mellow the anise-like flavour.

### 2. the herb or spice

noun · CEFR B2

the feathery green leaves or the small dried seeds of the plant, used to add flavour to food.

For teachers: the aromatic leaves (herb) or dried fruits (spice) of the fennel plant, characterised by a high concentration of anethole. Typically uncountable.

- The recipe calls for a teaspoon of toasted fennel seeds to flavour the bread.
- Garnish the grilled sea bass with fresh fennel fronds to enhance the herbal notes of the dish.

## Examples

- I added some fennel seeds to the soup for extra flavor.
- The chef chopped fresh fennel bulbs into the salad to provide a crunchy texture and a mild licorice taste.
- While often associated with Mediterranean cuisine, fennel is a versatile ingredient that can be used to season both savory stews and sweet baked goods.

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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.