lettuce

[let-is]

noun

1. a cultivated plant, Lactuca sativa, occurring in many varieties and having succulent leaves used for salads.

2. any species of Lactuca.

3. Slang.,  U.S. dollar bills; greenbacks.

lettuce

/ ˈlɛtɪs /

noun

1. any of various plants of the genus Lactuca, esp L. sativa, which is cultivated in many varieties for its large edible leaves: family Asteraceae (composites)

2. the leaves of any of these varieties, which are eaten in salads

3. any of various plants that resemble true lettuce, such as lamb's lettuce and sea lettuce

Word History and Origins

Origin of lettuce¹

1250–1300; 1925–30 lettuce for def. 3; Middle English letuse, apparently < Old French laitues, plural of laitue < Latin lactūca a lettuce, perhaps derivative of lac, stem lact- milk, with termination as in erūca rocket ² (or by association with Greek galaktoûchos having milk)

Word History and Origins

Origin of lettuce¹

C13: probably from Old French laitues, pl of laitue, from Latin lactūca, from lac- milk, because of its milky juice

Example Sentences

The event was the brainchild of an ambitious Los Angeles–based lettuce farmer, Frank Takahashi.

From Los Angeles Times

The dust particles are made up of agricultural chemicals from miles of lettuce and spinach fields, manure from livestock operations, diesel exhaust, unpaved roads and fine debris from lithium mining.

From Los Angeles Times

Serve them with a sweet chili dipping sauce or fresh lettuce leaves and rice vermicelli noodles.

From Salon

“I paid for a wrap, lettuce and ranch dressing.”

From Salon

They had an open front space where items of food were laid out, in this example loaves of bread, a lettuce and an ox's head.

From BBC

Related Words

• bread 
• cabbage