beet

noun

ˈbēt 

: a biennial garden plant (Beta vulgaris) of the amaranth family that includes several cultivars (such as Swiss chard and sugar beet) and that has thick edible leaves with long petioles and often swollen purplish-red roots

also : its root used especially as a vegetable, as a source of sugar, or for forage

Examples of beet in a Sentence

I've planted carrots, parsnips, and beets in the garden.

Recent Examples on the Web

Leafy greens such as spinach, kale, beet and turnip tops, chard and collards top the list of longevity foods. — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 July 2026

Roast a whole sheet pan of root vegetables (such as sweet potatoes, carrots, and beets), then drizzle with a punchy sauce using the leafy greens, fresh herbs, and olive oil. — Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 July 2026

According to Emily Scott, owner of Scott Farm in Maine, beets (Beta vulgaris) thrive when planted in mid-summer and can tolerate some frost. — Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 10 July 2026

Aphids can also transmit viruses from one plant to another, which can be particularly damaging to crops like squash, cucumber, pumpkin, melon, bean, potato, lettuce, beet, chard and bok choy. — Alora Bopray, USA Today, 7 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English bete, from Old English bēte, from Latin beta

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing beet

• beet armyworm
• beet leafhopper
• beet red
• red as a beet
• sugar beet

Rhymes for beet

• beat
• bleat
• cheat
• cleat
• creat
• deet
• eat
• feat
• feet
• fleet
• greet
• heat

Kids Definition

beet

noun

ˈbēt 

: a garden plant with thick long-stalked edible leaves and usually an enlarged purplish red root used as a vegetable, as a source of sugar, or as food for livestock

also : this root