Definition

Noun 1. A small, leafy green vegetable: A brussels sprout is a small, round, green vegetable that resembles a miniature cabbage. It grows in clusters along the thick stalk of its plant. 2. The plant itself: The term can also refer to the plant (Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera) cultivated for producing these edible buds.

Usage and Examples

• As a countable noun (typically used in the plural: brussels sprouts): Refers to the individual vegetable buds.
  • We are having roasted brussels sprouts with dinner.
  • She doesn't like the taste of brussels sprouts.
• Referring to the plant or crop:
  • The farmer planted a row of brussels sprout plants.

Advanced Usage

• The singular form "a brussels sprout" is grammatically correct but less commonly used in everyday speech than the plural, as they are typically prepared and served in multiples.
• The name is often capitalized as "Brussels sprout" because it originates from Brussels, Belgium.

Variants and Related Words

• Sprout (noun): A general term for a new growth on a plant; a young shoot. A brussels sprout is a specific type of edible sprout.
• Cabbage (noun): A related leafy green vegetable. Brussels sprouts are botanically a cultivar of the same species as cabbage.

Synonyms

• There are no direct single-word synonyms for this specific vegetable. Descriptive phrases include "miniature cabbage" or "edible bud of the plant."

Notes on Meaning

• The term almost exclusively refers to the specific vegetable and its plant. It is not used idiomatically or metaphorically in common English.

Noun

1. plant grown for its stout stalks of edible small green heads resembling diminutive cabbages