Definition of LEEK

leek

Meanings

Plural: leeks

Noun

  • plant having a large slender white bulb and flat overlapping dark green leaves; used in cooking; believed derived from the wild Allium ampeloprasum
  • related to onions; white cylindrical bulb and flat dark-green leaves
  • A vegetable of variety Allium ampeloprasum, having edible leaves and an onion-like bulb but with a milder flavour than the onion.
  • Any of several species of Allium, broadly resembling the domesticated plant in appearance in the wild.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English leke, leek, lek, from Old English lēac (“a garden herb, leek, onion, garlic”), from Proto-West Germanic *lauk, from Proto-Germanic *lauką *laukaz (“leek, onion”), from Proto-Indo-European *lewg- (“to bend”).
Cognate with Dutch look (“garlic, leek”), German Low German Look (“leek”), German Lauch (“leek, allium”), Danish løg (“onion”), Swedish lök (“onion”), Icelandic laukur (“onion, leek, garlic”). See garlic.

Synonyms

Allium porrum, broadleaf wild leek, garden leek, scallion, the Cambrian symbol

Scrabble Score: 8

leek is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
leek is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
leek is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 9

leek is a valid Words With Friends word