Asparagus

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Asparagus \As*par"a*gus\ ([a^]s*p[a^]r"[.a]*g[u^]s), n. [L., fr.
     Gr. 'aspa`ragos, 'asfa`ragos; cf. sparga^n to swell with sap
     or juice, and Zend [,c]paregha prong, sprout, Pers. asparag,
     Lith. spurgas sprout, Skr. sphurj to swell. Perh. the Greek
     borrowed from the Persian. Cf. {Sparrowgrass}.]
     1. (Bot.) A genus of perennial plants belonging to the


        natural order {Liliace[ae]}, and having erect much
        branched stems, and very slender branchlets which are
        sometimes mistaken for leaves. {Asparagus racemosus} is a
        shrubby climbing plant with fragrant flowers.
        Specifically: The {Asparagus officinalis}, a species
        cultivated in gardens.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. The young and tender shoots of {Asparagus officinalis},
        which form a valuable and well-known article of food.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: This word was formerly pronounced {sparrowgrass}; but
           this pronunciation is now confined exclusively to
           uneducated people.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     {Asparagus beetle} (Zool.), a small beetle ({Crioceris
        asparagi}) injurious to asparagus.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  asparagus
       n 1: plant whose succulent young shoots are cooked and eaten as a
            vegetable [syn: {edible asparagus}, {Asparagus
            officinales}]
       2: edible young shoots of the asparagus plant