noun
watercress
WAW-tuh-kress
Watercress (noun) means a peppery green herb that grows in freshwater streams and is eaten in salads or used as a garnish. Example: “She scattered a handful of watercress over the soup.”
noun
1
A peppery green herb that grows in freshwater streams and is eaten in salads or used as a garnish.
"She scattered a handful of watercress over the soup."
"Watercress grows best where clean water keeps moving."
"There was smoked salmon and watercress in the sandwiches."
How to use watercress
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA leafy green plant from streams, eaten in salads and soups.
When to use it
It is an everyday food word, neutral in tone.
Memory tip
Most people treat it as uncountable, so say some watercress rather than a watercress.
Trace the full origin ↓
Common pairings
watercress soup
a bunch of watercress
watercress salad
watercress sandwich
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like watercress.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She scattered a handful of _____ over the soup.
Etymology
Watercress comes from Middle English forms such as water cresse, which simply joined water and cress. Related words exist in Dutch, German, Swedish and West Frisian.
Frequently asked questions
What is watercress?
Watercress is a leafy herb that grows in freshwater streams. People eat it in salads and use it as a garnish.
Is watercress countable or uncountable?
It can be both. It is usually uncountable, as in a bunch of watercress, and the plural is watercresses.
How do you spell watercress?
The usual spelling is one word, watercress. The forms water-cress and water cress also exist.
What is the meaning of watercress?
"watercress" (noun) means a peppery green herb that grows in freshwater streams and is eaten in salads or used as a garnish.
