Definition

1. Noun:
   • A bulbous plant (Allium cepa) cultivated for its edible bulb: The "onion plant" refers specifically to the entire plant species, characterized by hollow, tubular leaves and a rounded, layered bulb that is widely used as a vegetable.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The farmer grows rows of onion plants in his field.
  • To harvest the bulb, you must pull the entire onion plant from the ground.

Advanced Usage

• Botanical Context: In formal or scientific writing, "onion plant" specifies the living organism, distinguishing it from just the harvested bulb ("onion").
  • The study focused on the disease resistance of the onion plant.

Variants and Related Words

• Onion (n): This is the common term for the edible bulb of the plant.
  • Chop one onion for the recipe.
• Spring onion / Green onion (n): A type of onion plant harvested early, before the bulb has fully developed, so both the slender bulb and the green leaves are eaten.
  • Garnish the soup with chopped spring onions.

Synonyms

• Allium cepa: The scientific, Latin name for the species.

Notes on Meaning

• The term "onion plant" explicitly refers to the whole growing plant. In everyday conversation, the word "onion" is often used to mean both the plant and its bulb, but "onion plant" is less common and used for clarity when discussing cultivation or botany.

Noun

1. bulbous plant having hollow leaves cultivated worldwide for its rounded edible bulb