Smyrnium olusatrum

9.9

A European herb with leaves like celery eaten as a vegetable

noun

Specialized

: Smyrnium olusatrum

The leaves of Smyrnium olusatrum can be used in salads or cooked as a vegetable.

Examples

Many gardeners cultivate Smyrnium olusatrum in herb gardens for its edible stems and leaves.
Botanists found a large patch of Smyrnium olusatrum growing near the English coastline.
I found some Smyrnium olusatrum growing in my garden.
Have you ever cooked with Smyrnium olusatrum?
Many gardeners cultivate Smyrnium olusatrum in herb gardens for its edible stems and leaves.
The leaves of Smyrnium olusatrum can be used in salads or cooked as a vegetable.
Botanists found a large patch of Smyrnium olusatrum growing near the English coastline.

Synonyms

alexanders

vsSmyrnium olusatrum

9.9

A leafy green plant like celery that people eat

is the scientific Latin name rather than the common name

alexander

vsSmyrnium olusatrum

9.9

A leafy herb like celery used as a vegetable and to add flavor

is the scientific Latin name and appears more formal in writing

Surface Forms

Smyrnium olusatrum singular

Smyrnium olusatrum plural

Morphology

Smyrnium + olusatrum

This is a Latin binomial taxonomic name: such names function as learned labels rather than compositional English phrases. Even if a learner recognized 'Smyrnium' as a plant genus, the specific epithet 'olusatrum' is obscure and does not transparently convey the sense 'alexanders' or the culinary/physical properties, so the full meaning cannot be derived from the parts.

Etymology

The plant Smyrnium olusatrum may have a name that means 'vegetable from Smyrna'. Smyrnium points to the old city Smyrna and olusatrum comes from an old Latin word for 'vegetable', so people once used the plant as a food.