chicory

noun

chic·​o·​ry ˈchi-k(ə-)rē 

variants or less commonly chickory

plural chicories

1

: a thick-rooted usually blue-flowered European perennial composite herb (Cichorium intybus) widely grown for its roots and as a salad plant compare belgian endive, radicchio

2

: the dried ground roasted root of chicory used to flavor or adulterate coffee

Examples of chicory in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

All these chicories can be treated more or less the same culinarily. —Georgeanne Brennan, The Mercury News, 18 Feb. 2025

This is the same plant family that has more than 30,000 other species including sunflowers, dahlias, chicory, lettuce, sage, marigolds, chrysanthemums, tarragon and, of course, daisies. —Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 25 Jan. 2025

There again were the aspens, and on the other side of the tracks, sprays of reed grass, of tansies, clover; blue chicory hinted at the forest behind me. —Michelle Orange, Harper's Magazine, 14 Dec. 2023

Bear & Crown 926 J St. For Dine Downtown, this high-end bar and eatery serves chicory salad or angel hair pasta, followed by crispy chicken or Provencal fish stew. —Marcus D. Smith, Sacramento Bee, 3 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

alteration of Middle English cicoree, from Anglo-French, from Latin cichoreum, from Greek kichoreia

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

chicory

noun

chic·​o·​ry ˈchik-(ə-)rē 

plural chicories

: a thick-rooted usually blue-flowered European herb related to the daisies and grown for its roots and as a salad plant

also : its dried ground roasted root that is sometimes added to coffee