Hypertext Webster Gateway: "asparagus"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Asparagus \As*par"a*gus\, n. [L., fr. Gr. ?, ?; cf. ? to swell
with sap or juice, and Zend ?paregha prong, sprout, Pers.
asparag, Lith. spurgas sprout, Skr. sphurj to swell. Perh.
the Greek borrowed from the Persian. Cf. {Sparrowgrass}.]
1. (Bot.) A genus of perennial plants belonging to the
natural order {Liliace[ae]}, and having erect much
branched stems, and very slender branchlets which are
sometimes mistaken for leaves. {Asparagus racemosus} is a
shrubby climbing plant with fragrant flowers.
Specifically: The {Asparagus officinalis}, a species
cultivated in gardens.
2. The young and tender shoots of {A. officinalis}, which
form a valuable and well-known article of food.
Note: This word was formerly pronounced sparrowgrass; but
this pronunciation is now confined exclusively to
uneducated people.
{Asparagus beetle} (Zo["o]l.), a small beetle ({Crioceris
asparagi}) injurious to asparagus.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
asparagus
n 1: plant whose succulent young shoots are cooked and eaten as a
vegetable [syn: {edible asparagus}, {Asparagus
officinales}]
2: edible young shoots of the asparagus plant
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