spinach

noun

spin·​ach ˈspi-nich 

1

: an Asian herb (Spinacia oleracea) of the amaranth family cultivated for its edible leaves which form in a dense basal rosette

also : its leaves

2

a

: something unwanted, pretentious, or spurious

b

: an untidy overgrowth

spinachlike

ˈspi-nich-ˌlīk 

adjective

spinachy

ˈspi-ni-chē 

adjective

Examples of spinach in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

To make salads healthier, vinaigrettes are often substituted for creamy dressing; nuts, seeds, and roasted chickpeas are substituted for croutons; grilled chicken replaces ground beef and bacon; and greens like iceberg are replaced with more nutrient-dense ones like kale and spinach. —Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 16 Jan. 2025

To achieve this, Thorne’s powder utilizes an array of mushrooms, spirulina, spinach, kelp, CoQ10, moringa, and ashwagandha. —Kiana Murden, Vogue, 15 Jan. 2025

Spiffy variations include spinach, mushrooms or speck. —Ann Abel, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025

Notable high-oxalate foods include spinach, beets, chocolate, rhubarb, almonds, and navy beans. —Jamie Johnson, Verywell Health, 15 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English spinache, from Anglo-French, alteration of Old French espinaces, from Medieval Latin spinachium, ultimately from Arabic isfānākh, from Pers

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

spinach

noun

spin·​ach ˈspin-ich 

: a widely grown plant with dark green leaves that are used as food

also : the leaves