black salsify
- noun
- /blæk ˈsælsəfi/
- UK
:
salsifí negro
- I bought some black salsify at the farmer's market.
Examples
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In some European markets, black salsify is prized for its unique flavor and nutritional value.
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Gardeners recommend planting black salsify in deep, loose soil for the best harvest.
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The chef prepared a creamy soup using black salsify as the key ingredient.
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Have you ever tried black salsify in a salad?
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The chef prepared a dish using black salsify to enhance its earthy flavors.
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At the farmer's market, I bought some black salsify to add to my vegetable soup.
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I learned how to cook black salsify, a unique root vegetable that adds depth to my meals.
Synonyms
1
9.8
A long white root vegetable with a mild taste used like potatoes
A European plant with long black roots that you can eat like a carrot
A European plant with long black roots you can eat
A plant with narrow leaves, a single yellow flower, and long black roots like carrots you can eat
Surface Forms
Morphology
black + salsify
This is a straightforward adjectival composition: 'black' simply specifies the colour/variety of 'salsify', so a learner who knows both words can infer it denotes the black variety of the plant. Although 'salsify' is a rare lexical item, the adjective+noun pattern is highly regular cross-linguistically, making the combined meaning predictable to a B1 learner who knows the constituents.
Etymology
Black salsify may come from its look and taste: the long root is dark, so black, and salsify was an old name for root vegetables that tasted a bit like the sea or oysters, often called the 'oyster plant'. That's why black salsify today means a long, dark edible root used as a vegetable.