asparagus

[ uh-spar-uh-guh s ]

/ əˈspær ə gəs /

any plant of the genus Asparagus, of the lily family, especially A. officianalis, cultivated for its edible shoots.

the shoots, eaten as a vegetable.

Origin of asparagus

before 1000; < Latin < Greek asp(h)áragos; replacing Old English sparagi (< Medieval Latin) and later sperage, sparrowgrass

as·pa·rag·i·nous

[as-puh-raj-uh-nuh s] /ˌæs pəˈrædʒ ə nəs/, adjective

I lived for my packages from home of eggplants and asparagus and tomatoes and broccoli and elephant garlic.

Tales of a Jailhouse Gourmet: How I learned to Cook in Prison |Daniel Genis |June 21, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The U.S. is one of Ecuador's largest customers, buying cut flowers, asparagus, minerals, and Pacific tuna fish.

Ecuador Needs U.S. Aid. Will They Risk It All with Snowden? |Mac Margolis |June 26, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
Add the green beans, peas, lima beans, asparagus, fava beans, and 1/2 cup water to the pan.

Three Quinoa Recipes for Your Weekend Parties |Jane Coxwell |May 26, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
My Dad was a mad keen gardener, so we would always have all those local, seasonal, organic things; asparagus and artichokes.

Tom Parker Bowles on Camilla's Roast Chicken, His Cocaine Sting and Those Pictures of Kate |Tom Sykes |October 3, 2012 |DAILY BEAST

Asparagus is one of those ingredients that I need to eat once it's around, and eggs are my all-time favorite food.

Fresh Picks |Jamie Bissonnette |August 24, 2011 |DAILY BEAST
Asparagus is said to strengthen and develop the artistic faculties.

Food Remedies |Florence Daniel
It is more commonly known as asparagus fern, though it is not even a most distant relative of the fern family.

ABC of Gardening |Eben Eugene Rexford
I stuffed myself with bread so as not to dream of turbot, asparagus, and suchlike.

Letters of Anton Chekhov |Anton Chekhov
The two city-bred artists knew a wall-flower from a cabbage and a rose from a sprig of asparagus, and that was all.

The Golden Butterfly |Walter Besant
With saddle and mutton, plain baked macaroni, peas or asparagus.

Civic League Cook Book |Anonymous

asparagus

/ (əˈspærəɡəs) /

any Eurasian liliaceous plant of the genus Asparagus, esp the widely cultivated A. officinalis, having small scaly or needle-like leaves

the succulent young shoots of A. officinalis, which may be cooked and eaten

asparagus fern a fernlike species of asparagus, A. plumosus, native to southern Africa

C15: from Latin, from Greek asparagos, of obscure origin