salsify

[ sal-suh-fee ]
/ ˈsæl sə fi /

noun, plural sal·si·fies.

a purple-flowered, composite plant, Tragopogon porrifolius, whose root has an oyster-like flavor and is used as a culinary vegetable.

Origin of salsify

1690–1700; < French salsifis, variant of sassefy, sassef(r)ique < Italian sassef(r)ica) < ?

Example sentences from the Web for salsify

British Dictionary definitions for salsify

salsify
/ (ˈsælsɪfɪ) /

noun plural -fies

Also called: oyster plant, vegetable oyster a Mediterranean plant, Tragopogon porrifolius, having grasslike leaves, purple flower heads, and a long white edible taproot: family Asteraceae (composites)
the root of this plant, which tastes of oysters and is eaten as a vegetable

Word Origin for salsify

C17: from French salsifis, from Italian sassefrica, from Late Latin saxifrica, from Latin saxum rock + fricāre to rub