leek
n.n. a vegetable that looks like a large green onion. It has a white base and long, flat green leaves that you can eat.
n. a vegetable of the genus Allium, characterized by a white bulb and long, flat green leaves. It is a staple in many cuisines, particularly in French and British cooking.
I added some leeks to the soup for extra flavor.
The chef sautéed the leeks until they were soft before adding the broth to the pot.
While onions are more common in many households, leeks offer a milder, more delicate flavor that is often preferred in creamy soups and gratins.
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.