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Glite Dictionary
Brassica oleracea acephala

Brassica oleracea acephala

7.0
A hardy leafy vegetable like kale with thick curly leaves that do not form a head
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : col rizada
  • Brassica oleracea acephala is often grown for its edible, nutrient-rich leaves.

Examples

  • Farmers prefer Brassica oleracea acephala because it tolerates cold weather very well.

  • I love to eat Brassica oleracea acephala in salads.

  • Many traditional dishes in Portugal use Brassica oleracea acephala as a main ingredient.

  • Have you tried Brassica oleracea acephala sautéed with garlic?

  • Brassica oleracea acephala is often grown for its edible, nutrient-rich leaves.

  • Many traditional dishes in Portugal use Brassica oleracea acephala as a main ingredient.

  • Have you tried Brassica oleracea acephala sautéed with garlic?

Synonyms

kale
vsBrassica oleracea acephala
43 2.4

A hardy green vegetable with curly leaves like cabbage

is the broader hardy cabbage category including other leaf types
collard
vsBrassica oleracea acephala
  • US
15 5.4

A leafy green like kale with large smooth leaves cooked as a vegetable

is the coarse curly type that does not form a dense head
collard greens
vsBrassica oleracea acephala
  • US
11 2.5

A leafy green vegetable with large dark leaves often cooked and eaten as a side

is the curly non-heading variety rather than smooth large-leaf types
kail
vsBrassica oleracea acephala
  • Archaic
1 8.4

A leafy cabbage with coarse curly leaves often used in Scottish cooking

is the same hardy cabbage family rather than a regional recipe name
borecole
vsBrassica oleracea acephala
  • Archaic
9.5

A leafy vegetable like cabbage with tough curly leaves

is the general hardy variety often listed under common leafy types
colewort
vsBrassica oleracea acephala
  • Archaic
9.9

A type of cabbage grown as a vegetable with rough curly leaves that do not form a tight head

is the modern botanical category rather than older garden name
collards
vsBrassica oleracea acephala
  • US
4.5

A leafy green vegetable with large smooth leaves often cooked

is the curled-leaf hardier form not the smooth-leaf type

Surface Forms

Brassica oleracea acephala singular
Brassica oleracea acephalas plural

Morphology

Brassica + oleracea + acephala

The genus name 'Brassica' will signal to learners who know it that this is a plant in the cabbage/cole crop family, so they can infer a vegetable. However, the Latin epithets 'oleracea' and 'acephala' are not common English words and do not convey the specific meaning 'kale/collard greens' to a B1 learner, so the full referent is not directly predictable from the constituents.

Etymology

Brassica oleracea acephala includes acephala, which means 'without a head', so picture a cabbage that never forms a tight round head and instead keeps loose, curly leaves. That's why this name refers to the hardy leafy vegetable we call 'kale' or 'collard greens' today.