lettuce
LEHT-ihs
Lettuce (noun) means a leafy green vegetable, or its leaves, commonly eaten raw in salads. Example: “She added a handful of lettuce to the sandwich.”
noun
1
A leafy green vegetable, or its leaves, commonly eaten raw in salads.
"She added a handful of lettuce to the sandwich."
"Lettuce grows quickly and does well in cooler weather."
How to use lettuce
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA common leafy salad vegetable.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
a head of lettuce
lettuce leaves
iceberg lettuce
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Word forms
- Plural
- lettuces
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She added a handful of _____ to the sandwich.
Etymology
From Old French laitues (plural of laitue), from Latin lactuca, from lac, "milk" — a reference to the milky sap in the plant's stem.
Related words
Rhymes for lettuce
See all rhymes for lettuce →Frequently asked questions
What does “lettuce” mean?
The word “lettuce” means a leafy green vegetable, or its leaves, commonly eaten raw in salads. In plain terms, a common leafy salad vegetable.
How do you pronounce “lettuce”?
“Lettuce” is pronounced LEHT-ihs (/ˈlɛt.ɪs/ in IPA).
How do you use “lettuce” in a sentence?
Here is “lettuce” used in a sentence: “She added a handful of lettuce to the sandwich.”
What part of speech is “lettuce”?
“Lettuce” is a noun.
Where does the word “lettuce” come from?
The word “lettuce” comes from Latin. From Old French laitues (plural of laitue), from Latin lactuca, from lac, "milk" — a reference to the milky sap in the plant's stem.
Is “lettuce” a common word?
“Lettuce” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
What is the difference between lettuce and cabbage?
Lettuce has soft, tender leaves and is typically eaten raw in salads, while cabbage has denser, tightly packed leaves and is often cooked as well as eaten raw. They belong to different plant families despite both being leafy vegetables.
Why is lettuce sometimes used as slang for money?
Lettuce is used informally as slang for money because of the visual resemblance between folded green banknotes and the green, leafy layers of the vegetable. This usage is casual and mainly found in slang rather than formal writing.
Is lettuce typically eaten raw or cooked?
Lettuce is most commonly eaten raw, especially in salads, since its leaves are prized for their crisp texture and mild flavour, though some varieties can also be lightly cooked or grilled.
