arugula

[uh-roo-guh-luh] /əˈru gə lə/
noun
1.
a Mediterranean plant, Eruca vesicaria sativa, of the mustard family, having pungent leaves used in salads.
Also called rocket, roquette.
Origin
1965-70; apparently < an Upper Italian dial. form, akin to Lombard arigola, Venetian rucola < Latin ērūca name for Eruca sativa (compare Italian ruca), with diminutive suffix -ola < Latin -ula -ule; cf. rocket2
Examples from the web for arugula
  • Toss arugula with salt and pepper and pile atop pesto.
  • Put some arugula in a bowl and throw a little olive oil on it.
  • arugula has a distinctive, appealingly peppery flavor.
  • Red mustard, purple mizuna, and arugula come up wherever they want.
  • Simple and ultralight, with touches of bitter almond and arugula flavors.
  • It's peppered chicken served with an arugula and chili vinaigrette.
  • It is noted for its pan-seared soft-shells served with red pepper remoulade and an arugula salad.
  • Warm this salad slightly and serve small spoonfuls on crisp arugula or mesclun greens as an appetizer.
British Dictionary definitions for arugula

arugula

/əˈruːɡjʊlə/
noun
1.
another name for rocket2 (sense 2)
Word Origin
C20: from N Italian dialect
Word Origin and History for arugula
n.

edible cruciform plant (Eruca sativa) used originally in the Mediterranean region as a salad; the American English and Australian form of the name is (via Italian immigrants) from dialectal variant of Italian ruchetta, a diminutive form of ruca-, from Latin eruca, a name of some cabbage-like plant, from PIE *gher(s)-uka-, from root *ghers- "to bristle" (see horror).

In England, the usual name is rocket (see rocket (n.1)), which is from Italian ruchetta via French roquette. It also sometimes is called hedge mustard.