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Glite Dictionary
Morchella esculenta

Morchella esculenta

8.0
An edible mushroom with a hollow cap covered in pits and ridges that chefs use in cooking
  • noun
  • /mɔrˈkɛlə ɛsˈkjuːlɛntə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : morchella esculenta
  • Chefs prize Morchella esculenta for its rich, earthy taste and unique texture in gourmet dishes.

Examples

  • Spring is the best season to hunt for Morchella esculenta in the forests near our town.

  • Scientists are researching how to cultivate Morchella esculenta commercially due to its culinary popularity.

  • The Morchella esculenta is a sought-after delicacy in many cuisines.

  • Have you ever tried Morchella esculenta in a risotto?

  • Chefs prize Morchella esculenta for its rich, earthy taste and unique texture in gourmet dishes.

  • Scientists are researching how to cultivate Morchella esculenta commercially due to its culinary popularity.

  • Spring is the best season to hunt for Morchella esculenta in the forests near our town.

Synonyms

common morel
vsMorchella esculenta
5.6

A mushroom you can eat with a cap full of holes and a rich taste

is the scientific species name for that same edible mushroom
sponge morel
vsMorchella esculenta
8.9

An edible mushroom with a cap of pits and ridges used in cooking

is the scientific species term rather than a culinary or market label
sponge mushroom
vsMorchella esculenta
7.6

A mushroom you can eat with a soft, sponge-like head covered in pits and ridges

is the formal species name rather than an informal descriptive label

Surface Forms

Morchella esculenta singular
Morchella esculentas plural

Morphology

Morchella + esculenta

The binomial is compositional: Morchella (the mushroom genus) combined with esculenta (Latin for 'edible') yields 'the edible Morchella/morel', so a learner who knows both constituents can derive the meaning. Although 'esculenta' is a Latin epithet not common in everyday English—so many B1 learners may not recognize it—the semantic relation is transparent if the parts are understood.

Etymology

Morchella esculenta comes from Latin. Morchella is the old word for the morel mushroom and esculenta means 'edible', so the name points to this species being the common 'edible' morel.