Definition

1. Noun:
   • A leafy green vegetable: "Spinach" is a plant with dark green, edible leaves that are often cooked or eaten raw in salads.
   • The edible leaves of this plant: "Spinach" also refers specifically to the succulent, dark green leaves themselves, which are consumed as food.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • I added fresh spinach to my salad. (I added fresh spinach leaves to my salad.)
  • Spinach is a good source of iron and vitamins. (The vegetable spinach is a good source of iron and vitamins.)
  • She cooked the spinach with garlic and olive oil. (She cooked the dark green leaves with garlic and olive oil.)

Advanced Usage

• "to be in a spinach": This is not a standard idiom. The word "spinach" is typically used in its literal sense.
• "like spinach": Sometimes used in similes to describe something green and leafy, or informally to denote something good for you.
  • The pond was covered with a plant that looked like spinach. (The pond was covered with a plant that resembled the vegetable spinach.)

Variants and Related Words

• Spinach-like (adj): Resembling spinach in appearance.
  • The salad contained various spinach-like greens.
• Baby spinach (n phrase): A variety of spinach harvested young, with smaller, more tender leaves.
  • The recipe calls for baby spinach.

Synonyms

• Leafy green: A general term for vegetables with edible leaves, such as kale or chard.
• Greens: A common term for the edible leaves of certain plants, often including spinach.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• There are no common phrasal verbs specifically formed with the noun "spinach."

Related Idioms

• "It's spinach, and to hell with it!": A dated idiom, derived from a cartoon, expressing dismissive resignation toward something unpalatable but supposedly good for you. (Note: This idiom is very rare in modern usage.)
  • When told to eat his vegetables, the child muttered, "It's spinach, and to hell with it!"

Noun

1. dark green leaves; eaten cooked or raw in salads
2. southwestern Asian plant widely cultivated for its succulent edible dark green leaves