sand leek

8.2

A European plant related to onions that people grow for its edible stems and leaves used in cooking

noun

: ajo de arena

The sand leek is often grown for its edible stems and leaves.

Examples

I bought some sand leeks from the farmer's market.
Unlike common leeks, sand leek has a slightly stronger flavor.
After harvesting, she used sand leek in a traditional stew recipe.
The sand leek is often used in salads.
After harvesting, she used sand leek in a traditional stew recipe.
The sand leek is often grown for its edible stems and leaves.
Unlike common leeks, sand leek has a slightly stronger flavor.

Synonyms

leek

vssand leek

22 1.0

A long vegetable with a white stem and green leaves used to add mild onion flavor to food

is a European cultivated plant used in cooking like these common vegetables

Allium scorodoprasum

vssand leek

Specialized

9.9

A European wild leek that people use like common leeks in cooking

is the broader cultivated plant used like common varieties in cooking

giant garlic

vssand leek

2.9

A large vegetable like a leek with a mild garlic taste

is a similar European plant but without emphasis on size or flavour

Spanish garlic

vssand leek

6.4

A European variety of leek with a mild taste used in cooking

is the general European plant category rather than a named local variety

rocambole

vssand leek

9.9

A kind of garlic with a mild, sweet taste

is the broader cultivated European plant not defined by that relation

Japanese leek

vssand leek

4.3

A long, thin green onion with a mild taste used in cooking

is a European cultivated plant used like main varieties not as a green onion

meadow leek

vssand leek

9.1

A wild plant with an edible bulb and leaves that smell like onions

is the European onion-family cultivated plant used like garden varieties

How Edible

leek

22 1.0

sand leek

8.2

inedible

11 4.5

Surface Forms

sand leek singular

sand leeks plural

Morphology

sand + leek

The compound is directly compositional: 'sand' modifies 'leek' to signal a leek-like plant associated with sandy habitats or soil, so a learner who knows both words can infer it is a variety/type of leek used like leeks. Noun+noun compounding of this sort is regular in English and cross-linguistically common, making the meaning predictable for a B1 learner.

Etymology

Sand leek gets its name from where it grows: wild leeks that grew in sand near the coast, so people used the picture of sand and leek to name it. So today sand leek means 'a leek-like plant' that grows in sandy soil and is eaten.