artichoke

ar·ti·choke  (ärt-chk)

n.

1.

a. A Mediterranean thistlelike plant (Cynara scolymus) in the composite family, having pinnately divided leaves and large discoid heads of bluish flowers.

b. The edible, immature flower head of this plant. Also called globe artichoke.

2. The Jerusalem artichoke.

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[Ultimately from Old Spanish alcarchofa, from Arabic al-aruf : al-, the + urf, aruf, artichoke.]

Word History: Those who have been warned to watch out for the sharp-tipped bracts toward the innermost part of an artichoke may have wondered whether the name of this vegetable has anything to do with choking. Originally it did not. Our word goes back to an Arabic word for the same plant, al-aruf. Along with many other Arabic words, it passed into Spanish during the Middle Ages, when Muslims ruled much of Spain. The Old Spanish word alcarchofa was variously modified as it passed through Italian, a northern dialect form being articiocco, the source of the English word. It was further modified in English, where a potpourri of spellings and explanations are found since its appearance early in the 16th century. For example, people who did not know the long history of the word explained it by the notion that the flower had a "choke," that is, something that chokes, in its "heart."

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artichoke [ˈɑːtɪˌtʃəʊk]

n

1. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Plants) Also called globe artichoke a thistle-like Eurasian plant, Cynara scolymus, cultivated for its large edible flower head containing many fleshy scalelike bracts: family Asteraceae (composites)

2. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Plants) the unopened flower head of this plant, which can be cooked and eaten

3. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Plants) See Jerusalem artichoke

[from Italian articiocco, from Old Spanish alcarchofa, from Arabic al-kharshūf]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	artichoke - Mediterranean thistlelike plant widely cultivated for its large edible flower head artichoke plant, Cynara scolymus, globe artichoke artichoke, globe artichoke - a thistlelike flower head with edible fleshy leaves and heart Cynara, genus Cynara - artichoke; cardoon vegetable - any of various herbaceous plants cultivated for an edible part such as the fruit or the root of the beet or the leaf of spinach or the seeds of bean plants or the flower buds of broccoli or cauliflower
	2.	artichoke - a thistlelike flower head with edible fleshy leaves and heart globe artichoke veg, vegetable, veggie - edible seeds or roots or stems or leaves or bulbs or tubers or nonsweet fruits of any of numerous herbaceous plant artichoke heart - the tender fleshy center of the immature artichoke flower artichoke, artichoke plant, Cynara scolymus, globe artichoke - Mediterranean thistlelike plant widely cultivated for its large edible flower head

Translations

artichoke [ˈɑːtɪtʃəʊk] N

1. (= globe artichoke) → alcachofa f, alcaucil m

2. (= Jerusalem artichoke) → aguaturma f, cotufa f (LAm)

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artichoke [ˈɑː^rtɪtʃəʊk] n → artichaut m Jerusalem artichoke

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artichoke

n → Artischocke f ? Jerusalem artichoke

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artichoke [ˈɑːtˌɪtʃəʊk] n (globe artichoke) → carciofo; (Jerusalem artichoke) → topinambur m inv

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artichoke → خرشوف artyčok artiskok Artischocke αγκινάρα alcachofa artisokka artichaut artičoka carciofo アーティチョーク 아티초크 artisjok artisjokk karczoch alcachofra артишок kronärtskocka พันธุ์ไม้ชนิดหนึ่งใช้ดอกทำอาหาร enginar atisô 朝鲜蓟