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more about asparagus
asparagus |
2 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Asparagus \As*par"a*gus\, n. [L., fr Gr ?, ?; cf ? to swell with sap or juice, and Zend ?paregha prong, sprout, Pers. asparag, Lith. spurgas sprout, Skr. sphurj to swell. Perh. the Greek borrowed from the Persian. Cf {Sparrowgrass}.] 1. (Bot.) A genus of perennial plants belonging to the natural order {Liliace[ae]}, and having erect much branched stems, and very slender branchlets which are sometimes mistaken for leaves. {Asparagus racemosus} is a shrubby climbing plant with fragrant flowers. Specifically: The {Asparagus officinalis}, a species cultivated in gardens. 2. The young and tender shoots of {A. officinalis}, which form a valuable and well-known article of food. Note: This word was formerly pronounced sparrowgrass; but this pronunciation is now confined exclusively to uneducated people. {Asparagus beetle} (Zo["o]l.), a small beetle ({Crioceris asparagi}) injurious to asparagus. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: asparagus n 1: plant whose succulent young shoots are cooked and eaten as a vegetable [syn: {edible asparagus}, {Asparagus officinales}] 2: edible young shoots of the asparagus plant
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