Belgian endive
1
6.8
- noun
- /ˈbɛldʒən ˈɛndaɪv/
:
endibia belga
- Belgian endive leaves
- Belgian endive salad
- head of Belgian endive
Examples
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I would like a Belgian endive salad.
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Yeah, a Belgian endive... with tomato...
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A fresh Belgian endive adds a crunchy texture to any salad.
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For a gourmet touch, try adding Belgian endive to your next vegetable dish.
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The recipe calls for chopped Belgian endive, which gives the meal a unique flavor.
Synonyms
7
6.1
A leafy green with crisp, slightly bitter leaves used in salads
A narrow pale salad leaf grown in the dark with a mild, slightly bitter taste
A pale leafy vegetable often eaten in salads with a slightly bitter taste
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun phrase is compositionally transparent: 'Belgian' indicates origin/type and 'endive' names the vegetable, so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer it is a kind of endive associated with Belgium. Specific horticultural details (grown in darkness, pale head) are extra encyclopedic knowledge but not required to understand the basic meaning as a variety of endive.
Etymology
Belgian endive may come from a method first used in Belgium, where growers kept the plant's roots in the dark so new heads grew narrow, pale and very tender. So the name links Belgian and endive, and now means 'a pale, tender salad vegetable'.