noun

cress

KRES

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Cress (noun) means a small leafy plant with a sharp, peppery taste, related to cabbage, commonly grown for use in salads and sandwiches. Example: “She sprinkled cress over the sandwiches for a bit of bite.”

noun

A small leafy plant with a sharp, peppery taste, related to cabbage, commonly grown for use in salads and sandwiches.

"She sprinkled cress over the sandwiches for a bit of bite."

"The children grew cress on damp cotton wool as a school project."

"A handful of cress and some sliced egg finished off the salad nicely."

How to use cress

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA small peppery salad leaf.

When to use it

It is an everyday, informal word used mainly in cooking and gardening contexts.

Memory tip

Cress is normally uncountable when talking about the leaves in general, so say 'some cress' rather than 'a cress'.

Trace the full origin ↓

Common pairings

mustard and cress a sprig of cress cress sandwich grow cress

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Test yourself on “cress” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

She sprinkled _____ over the sandwiches for a bit of bite.

Etymology

Cress goes back to Old English cressa and cærse, and further still to a shared Germanic root. Related words for the same plant appear in Dutch, German, Danish, Swedish and Icelandic, showing the word's long history in the Germanic language family.

Origin: Old English

Rhymes for cress

ess less Jess mess fess ness Bess Tess Hess chess bless press

See all rhymes for cress →

Frequently asked questions

What is cress?

Cress is a small, leafy plant with a peppery taste, usually eaten raw in salads or sandwiches.

Is cress the same as watercress?

Watercress is one particular type of cress that grows in water; cress on its own can refer to several related peppery salad plants.

Why do people grow cress on cotton wool?

Cress seeds sprout quickly with just water and light, which makes them a simple way to demonstrate plant growth, often used as a school activity.

What is the meaning of cress?

"cress" (noun) means a small leafy plant with a sharp, peppery taste, related to cabbage, commonly grown for use in salads and sandwiches.