Word
leek
US/ˈɫik/
UK/lˈiːk/
Definitions
01the vegetable
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Cooking
n. a long vegetable with green leaves and a white base that tastes like a mild onion.
n. a vegetable related to the onion, characterized by a long cylindrical stalk of bundled leaf sheaths and a subtle, sweet flavour.
“She chopped the leek into thin rings to add to the potato soup.”
“The chef recommended sautéing the leeks slowly in butter to bring out their natural sweetness before adding the stock.”
Pitfall
There is a leek in the water pipe.
There is a leak in the water pipe.
Do not confuse 'leek' (the vegetable) with 'leak' (a hole where liquid or gas escapes).
02national symbol
C1 · Advanced Countable noun British English
n. the vegetable used as a symbol of Wales.
n. the edible plant used as a national emblem of Wales, often worn on Saint David's Day.
“Many Welsh people wear a small leek on their clothes to celebrate Saint David's Day.”
“The leek has served as a prominent Welsh national symbol for centuries, appearing on military badges and coins alike.”
Real-World Examples
“The grocer was a Cypriot man from whom my mother would buy cabbage, leeks and carrots.” “They taste like a cross between a sweet leek and a spring onion.” Etymology
From Middle English leke, leek, lek, from Old English lēac (“a garden herb, leek, onion, garlic”), from Proto-West Germanic lauk, from Proto-Germanic lauką laukaz (“leek, onion”), from Proto-Indo-European lewg- (“to bend”). Cognate with Dutch look (“garlic, leek”), German Low German Look (“leek”), German Lauch (“leek, allium”), Danish løg (“onion”), Swedish lök (“onion”), Icelandic laukur (“onion, leek, garlic”). See garlic.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Idioms
01. swallow the leek
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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