cabbage
KA-bihj
Cabbage (noun) means a leafy vegetable grown as a round, tightly packed head, eaten cooked or raw. Example: “She shredded half a cabbage into the coleslaw.”
noun
1
A leafy vegetable grown as a round, tightly packed head, eaten cooked or raw.
"She shredded half a cabbage into the coleslaw."
"Boiled cabbage was a staple of his grandmother's kitchen."
2
(slang) Money.
"He made serious cabbage flipping used cars."
verb
1
(informal, dated) To steal small amounts of something, especially fabric offcuts.
"The tailor was known to cabbage scraps of cloth for himself."
How to use cabbage
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe round leafy vegetable you see in coleslaw and stir-fries; slang for money or, as a verb, for petty pilfering.
Common mistake
As a verb ("to cabbage" something) it's old-fashioned slang for stealing scraps — not used in everyday speech.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
a head of cabbage
red cabbage
cabbage soup
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Word forms
- Plural
- cabbages
- Third person singular
- cabbages
- Past tense
- cabbaged
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She shredded half a _____ into the coleslaw.
Etymology
From Middle English caboche ("head"), borrowed from Anglo-Norman caboche, likely built from Latin caput ("head") — the cabbage was named for its round, head-like shape.
Related words
Rhymes for cabbage
See all rhymes for cabbage →Frequently asked questions
What does “cabbage” mean?
The word “cabbage” means a leafy vegetable grown as a round, tightly packed head, eaten cooked or raw. In plain terms, the round leafy vegetable you see in coleslaw and stir-fries; slang for money or, as a verb, for petty pilfering.
How do you pronounce “cabbage”?
“Cabbage” is pronounced KA-bihj (/ˈkæbɪd͡ʒ/ in IPA).
How do you use “cabbage” in a sentence?
Here is “cabbage” used in a sentence: “She shredded half a cabbage into the coleslaw.”
What is another word for “cabbage”?
Words with a similar meaning to “cabbage” include cabbage plant and cole.
What part of speech is “cabbage”?
Depending on how it is used, “cabbage” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “cabbage” come from?
The word “cabbage” comes from Latin. From Middle English caboche ("head"), borrowed from Anglo-Norman caboche, likely built from Latin caput ("head") — the cabbage was named for its round, head-like shape.
Is “cabbage” a common word?
“Cabbage” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “cabbage” have?
“Cabbage” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a leafy vegetable grown as a round, tightly packed head, eaten cooked or raw.
What is the difference between cabbage and lettuce?
Cabbage is a leafy vegetable grown as a round, tightly packed head with thicker, sturdier leaves usually eaten cooked, while lettuce has looser, softer leaves and is typically eaten raw in salads.
Why is "cabbage" sometimes used to mean money?
In slang, cabbage is used informally to mean money, a usage likely inspired by the visual resemblance between rolled or folded banknotes and the layered leaves of a cabbage head.
What does it mean to "cabbage" something?
As an informal, dated verb, to cabbage means to steal small amounts of something, especially fabric offcuts — a usage traditionally associated with tailors keeping leftover material.
