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Added 9 October 2026

broccoli

/ˈbɹɒk.ə.li/ noun

Latin root: broccus First recorded: 1699 Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about broccoli at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Plant with dense clusters of tight green flower buds.
Branched green undeveloped flower heads.

Origin

First attested in 1699, Italian broccoli, plural of broccolo (“cabbage sprout, head”), diminutive of brocco (“shoot, sprout”) (which is also the origin of brocade), from Latin broccus (“pointed, sharp, projecting; buck-toothed”), possibly of Gaulish origin, related to Proto-Celtic *brokkos (“badger”) or Proto-Celtic *brozdos (“tip, point”) (compare Scottish Gaelic brog (“pointed instrument, awl”), Welsh procio (“thrust, poke”), Old English brord (“point, spike”)). More at brochure, brad.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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