alfalfa sprout
- noun
- /ˌælfæl.fə ˈspraʊt/
- US
- Since 1995, raw alfalfa sprouts have been recognized as a source of foodborne illness in the United States, with several outbreaks of both E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella.
- lettuce and alfalfa sprouts
- alfalfa sprouts and cheese
And when you think of sprouts, I mean, most people just think of alfalfa sprouts.
- And when you think of sprouts, I mean, most people just think of alfalfa sprouts.
- People weren't eating alfalfa sprouts, or lentils would be cooked and become Dal or various recipes.
Examples
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Finally, a garnish of alfalfa sprouts.
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I put a little whey in it, then I mix it with a little alfalfa sprouts, some bean curd, and spinach mold in it too.
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Well, I like pancakes and alfalfa sprouts and lemonade.
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on whole-wheat bread with alfalfa sprouts and Monterey Jack cheese
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That guy lives on bean curd and alfalfa sprouts; he ain't gonna die of natural causes.
Fiction book (1990) -
I have cheese, alfalfa sprouts and avocado and then little berries here seasoning some lovely things.
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People weren't eating alfalfa sprouts, or lentils would be cooked and become Dal or various recipes.
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You know, maybe have some mung bean sprouts and some miso soup or have some alfalfa sprouts on a sandwich.
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This (bleep) lives on alfalfa sprouts and bean curd; he ain't gonna die of natural causes.
Fiction book (1990) -
To make a fresh salad, add some diced cucumbers and alfalfa sprouts for extra crunch.
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a sprouted seed of alfalfa' is directly and compositionally derived from combining 'alfalfa' (the plant) with 'sprout' (a young shoot). This noun–noun compound follows a standard, cross-linguistically common pattern for naming types of sprouts or shoots, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will understand the MWE.
Etymology
Alfalfa sprout is a simple, literal name: alfalfa is the plant and a sprout is the tiny, young shoot that grows from its seed. These small green threads are often eaten raw for a fresh, crunchy taste, so the name means 'a sprouted alfalfa seed eaten raw'.