lettuce
- 01 A2 Elementary
a plant with large green or purple leaves that people eat in salads.
an edible herbaceous plant, Lactuca sativa, typically grown for its leaves which are consumed as a salad vegetable.
Simple“I bought a fresh head of lettuce to make a salad for dinner.”
In context“The chef insisted on using only locally grown romaine lettuce, noting that the crisp texture was essential for a traditional Caesar salad.”
- 02 C1 Advanced
a slang word for paper money, especially US dollars.
a slang term for paper currency, specifically United States dollar bills.
Simple“He made a lot of lettuce working overtime this summer.”
In context“In the gritty dialogue of the mid-century crime novel, the characters frequently referred to their stolen loot as 'lettuce'.”
Teacher's tipThis is a dated slang term; modern speakers are more likely to use 'cash' or 'bucks'.
- 03 C1 Advanced
long, thick, or messy hair on a man.
a slang term for a man's long, flowing, or thick hair, often associated with sports culture.
Simple“The hockey player was famous for the long lettuce sticking out of his helmet.”
In context“The term 'lettuce' has gained popularity in North American sports subcultures to describe the impressive hair growth of athletes during the playoffs.”
Teacher's tipCommonly used in 'bro' culture and sports contexts like hockey or lacrosse.
From Middle English letuse, of uncertain precise origin, probably from the plural form Old French laitues, derived from Latin lactūca (“lettuce”), from lac (“milk”), because of the milky fluid in its stalks. Replaced Old English lēahtric. (money): Likely from the green color of US banknotes.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.