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

Thursday, April 10, Beef Stew with carrots, potatoes, onions and celery, whole grain roll, Mandarin oranges, milk. —Ramona Sentinel, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Apr. 2025

Bunny Mary At Over Easy in Scottsdale, Arizona, the seasonal Bunny Mary is a fresh, veggie-forward version of the classic Bloody Mary cocktail made with organic carrot juice and pearl vodka, garnished with raw carrots, celery, and a Tajín rim for a savory, spicy twist. —Aly Walansky, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025

The rest of its ingredients make up a veritable bouquet of vegetables: Carrots, celery, cabbage, onion, parsley, and turnip are diluted and mixed with the caramel color to make a shelf-stable seasoning condiment that boosts a wide variety of dishes. —Catherine Jessee, Southern Living, 27 Mar. 2025

Fruits and veggies like watermelon, cucumbers, celery, oranges and grapes can increase your fluid intake. —Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, CNN Money, 26 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