arugula

noun

aru·gu·la ə-ˈrü-gə-lə

-gyə-

: a yellowish-flowered Mediterranean herb (Eruce sativa synonym E. vesicaria sativa) of the mustard family cultivated for its foliage which is used especially in salads

called also garden rocket, rocket, roquette, rugola

Examples of arugula in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Most bagged or boxed arugula costs more than that, and doesn’t come with any additional ingredients. —

Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 9 Feb. 2025 Martha Stewart Shares Her #1 Piece of Gardening Advice Arugula First up was flourishing arugula. —

Lauren Thomann, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Feb. 2025 There are a couple of warm plates, like a butterflied and grilled red snapper topped with red and green sauces and accompanied with black beans and arugula salad (market price) and a shrimp stew with chayote squash, epazote and warm tortillas ($19). —

John Metcalfe, The Mercury News, 6 Feb. 2025 First-time visitors ought to try the Taco Arabe, lamb coated in al pastor spices and wrapped with arugula, pickled onions and the garlicky spread toum, Kachakji said. —

Benjy Egel, Sacramento Bee, 19 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for arugula

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Italian, probably from a southern dialectal form of Tuscan ruca, rucola, as Neapolitan arucola, arucolo, with English spelling -gu- reflecting lenis articulation of consonants and reduction of vowels — more at rocket entry 1

Note: For similar reflection in English spelling of southern Italian articulation compare agita, goombah. Forms with the initial ēr- of the Latin etymon ērūca "arugula, Eruca vesicaria" opened to ar- are widespread in Italian dialects—see Lessico etimologico italiano, letter E, columns 733-34.

First Known Use

1960, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of arugula was in 1960

See more words from the same year