celery

noun

cel·​ery ˈse-lə-rē 

ˈsel-rē

plural celeries

: a European herb (Apium graveolens) of the carrot family

specifically : one of a cultivated variety (A. graveolens var. dulce) with leafstalks eaten raw or cooked

Examples of celery in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Root veggies, celery, peppers, brassicas, alliums, potatoes, strawberries, and legumes (beans and peas) need at least 12 inches of soil to grow properly. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Mar. 2025

Of course, different fruits and vegetables will provide different tastes—green apples are tart and fresh, but try celery for an earthy sip or kiwi for tropical flavors. —Jillian Dara, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025

The skillfully prepared cuisine highlights top-notch seafood and peak produce, as in sweet razor clams anointed with celery brunoise and Meyer lemon. —Linda Zavoral, The Mercury News, 13 Mar. 2025

It’s accompanied by carrots, potatoes, celery, yellow onion and the cherry tomatoes. —Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French céleri (17th-century celeris, sceleri, Middle French scellerin), borrowed from an Upper Italian form (as Ligurian sèlarʼu, Lombard sèleri), altered from Vulgar Latin *selinum (Late Latin selīnon), borrowed from Greek sélīnon, perhaps from a pre-Greek substratal language

First Known Use

1664, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing celery

• celery cabbage
• celery root
• wild celery

Kids Definition

celery

noun

cel·​ery ˈsel-(ə-)rē 

plural celeries

: a European herb related to the carrot and widely grown for the thick edible stems

also : the stems of celery used for food