artichoke

UK /ˈɑː.tɪ.tʃəʊk/ US /ˈɑːr.t̬ə.tʃoʊk/ Syllables: ar-ti-choke

Pronunciation

Noun A1 Beginner Neutral

A vegetable with a thick stem and layers of tough, pointed leaves around an edible center.

An artichoke is a vegetable that grows as a large green flower bud with thick, pointed leaves layered over a soft center. You cook it by boiling or steaming, and then you pull off the leaves one by one and eat the soft part at the base. The heart, the center of the artichoke, is the tastiest part. Artichokes are popular in Italian, Spanish and Greek cooking, and they are served with butter, lemon or a creamy sauce.

"She steamed the artichoke and peeled off the leaves one by one."

Example sentences

"She steamed an artichoke for dinner."

Level B1
"The artichoke heart was soft and tasty."

Level B1
"We ate artichoke dip with crackers."

Level B1
"Artichokes grow well in warm climates."

Level B1

Look-alikes and common mistakes

asparagus : Asparagus is a long, thin green stalk. An artichoke is a round bud with layered leaves.
cabbage : A cabbage is a round, leafy head with smooth leaves. An artichoke has tough pointed leaves.

Word family and forms

Forms: artichokes

artichoke heart Jerusalem artichoke

Word partners

Words and phrases that often go with "artichoke".

an artichoke heart
steamed artichoke
grilled artichoke
artichoke dip
boil an artichoke
a globe artichoke

Origin

Artichoke came into English in the 1500s from northern Italian articiocco, which came from Old Spanish alcarchofa, and that came from the Arabic word al-kharshuf, meaning the artichoke. The word traveled through several languages and changed shape at each step.

Checked against: Wiktionary, the free dictionary, Dictionary.com.

How to remember it

Artichoke ends in choke, and the hairy part in the middle is called the choke. Cooks remove it before eating.

Test yourself

Which word fits the gap? "She steamed an _____ for dinner."

Answer: artichoke

In your own words, what does "artichoke" mean?