round-headed leek

9.5

A garden plant with a round bulb and purple flower head used for food and decoration

noun

: puerro de cabeza redonda

You can recognize a round-headed leek by its compact, spherical flower head and slender stem.

Examples

The gardener planted several round-headed leeks along the border for their striking purple blooms.
Chefs sometimes use the bulbs of the round-headed leek as a flavorful addition to dishes.
The round-headed leek is a beautiful addition to any garden.
Have you ever tried cooking with round-headed leeks?
Chefs sometimes use the bulbs of the round-headed leek as a flavorful addition to dishes.
The gardener planted several round-headed leeks along the border for their striking purple blooms.
You can recognize a round-headed leek by its compact, spherical flower head and slender stem.

Surface Forms

round-headed leek singular

round-headed leeks plural

Morphology

round-headed + leek

The phrase is compositionally descriptive: 'round-headed' indicates having a rounded head or bulb and 'leek' names the vegetable, so the combined meaning ('a leek with a spherical bulb') is directly derivable. This adjective+noun pattern is a common, cross-linguistic way to describe shape, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will readily understand it.

Etymology

Round-headed leek is named for the plant's look: it has a round-headed ball of small flowers on a thin leek stem. That's why 'round-headed leek' means a leek with a compact, spherical bulb and pretty flowers, used for both cooking and garden decoration.