leek
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
a long vegetable with green leaves and a white base that tastes like a mild onion.
a vegetable related to the onion, characterized by a long cylindrical stalk of bundled leaf sheaths and a subtle, sweet flavour.
Simple“She chopped the leek into thin rings to add to the potato soup.”
In context“The chef recommended sautéing the leeks slowly in butter to bring out their natural sweetness before adding the stock.”
PitfallThere 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).
- 02 C1 Advanced
the vegetable used as a symbol of Wales.
the edible plant used as a national emblem of Wales, often worn on Saint David's Day.
Simple“Many Welsh people wear a small leek on their clothes to celebrate Saint David's Day.”
In context“The leek has served as a prominent Welsh national symbol for centuries, appearing on military badges and coins alike.”
“They taste like a cross between a sweet leek and a spring onion.”
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.