fennel

/ˈfɛnəl/

fennel

English Noun Top 23,550

Definition

A plant, Foeniculum vulgare, of the parsley family, which has a sweet, anise-like flavor.

Etymology

From the Middle English fenel, from the late Old English finuðl, finule (weak feminine forms); fenol, finul (masculine forms), from Proto-West Germanic *fenukl, from the Vulgar Latin *fēnuclum, fēnoclum, from Late Latin fēnuculum, from the Classical Latin faeniculum, a diminutive form of faenum (“hay”); compare the Italian finocchio, the Occitan fenolh, the French fenouil, and the Spanish hinojo. Doublet of finocchio and finook.