French endive
- noun
- /frɛntʃ ˈɛndaɪv/
:
endibia
- French endive has a mild, slightly bitter taste that pairs well with walnuts and blue cheese.
Examples
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I bought a head of French endive for tonight's salad recipe.
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The chef garnished the plate with crisp French endive and a drizzle of vinaigrette.
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I love adding French endive to my salads.
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Have you ever tried French endive in a salad?
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The chef garnished the plate with crisp French endive and a drizzle of vinaigrette.
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I bought a head of French endive for tonight's salad recipe.
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Have you ever tried French endive in a salad?
Synonyms
7
6.1
A leafy green with crisp, slightly bitter leaves used in salads
1
6.8
A narrow pale vegetable with tender leaves that people grow in darkness
A pale leafy vegetable often eaten in salads with a slightly bitter taste
How Bitter
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound is compositionally transparent: 'French' (relating to France or French style) combined with 'endive' (a leafy vegetable) yields a clear meaning of a type or variety of endive associated with France. A B1 learner who knows both words can infer it denotes a particular kind of endive, even if the precise cultivation detail (grown in darkness to produce a pale head) is not predictable from the words alone.
Etymology
French endive comes from a way of growing the endive in dark cellars so its leaves stay narrow and very pale instead of green. So the name points to this pale, tight head used in salads and now means that particular salad vegetable.