asparagus

UK /əˈspær.ə.ɡəs/ US /əˈsper.ə.ɡəs/ Syllables: as-par-a-gus

Pronunciation

Noun A1 Beginner Neutral

A vegetable with long, thin green or white stalks.

Asparagus is a vegetable with long, thin green or white stalks and a small, pointed tip. It grows in spring and is eaten steamed, grilled or boiled, often with butter or a sauce. The stalks are tender and have a mild, slightly sweet taste. Some people notice a strong smell after eating it. The word is used for the plant too, which has feathery leaves when it grows tall. Asparagus is a singular, uncountable noun, so we say some asparagus.

"He grilled the asparagus with a little olive oil and salt."

Example sentences

"We had grilled asparagus with lemon."

Level A2
"She bought a bunch of fresh asparagus at the market."

Level A2
"Asparagus grows best in spring."

Level B1
"The soup is made from asparagus and potatoes."

Level B1

Look-alikes and common mistakes

artichoke : An artichoke is a round bud with layered leaves. Asparagus is a long, thin stalk.
celery : Celery is a pale, crunchy stalk. Asparagus is a green spear that is cooked.

Word family and forms

asparagus tips asparagus spear asparagus fern

Word partners

Words and phrases that often go with "asparagus".

fresh asparagus
grilled asparagus
a bunch of asparagus
asparagus soup
asparagus spears
steamed asparagus

Origin

Asparagus came into English from Latin, which took it from the Greek word asparagos. English had it before the year 1000. In some English dialects the word was reshaped into sparrowgrass, as if it were a grass for sparrows.

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

Usage notes

"Asparagus" is uncountable, so we say "some asparagus", not "an asparagus" or "asparaguses."

How to remember it

Asparagus has two a's at the start and ends in gus. Say it as as-PAR-a-gus and picture the long green spears.

Test yourself

Which word fits the gap? "We had grilled _____ with lemon."

Answer: asparagus

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