leek

[leek] /lik/
noun
1.
a plant, Allium ampeloprasum, of the amaryllis family, allied to the onion, having a cylindrical bulb and leaves used in cookery.
2.
any of various allied species.
Origin
before 1000; Middle English; Old English lēac; cognate with German Lauch, Old Norse laukr
Can be confused
leak, leek.
Examples from the web for leek
  • Seemingly the best minds are befuddled how to stop this runaway oil leek.
  • The crock pot is now full again, this time with the beginnings of leek and potato soup.
  • Wash chopped leek in a bowl of cold water, then lift out and drain well.
  • Cut up leek, carrot, and celery and in a large saucepan bring to a boil with remaining ingredients.
  • Meal number four: leek and pea risotto with grilled calamari.
  • Start your meal off with a vegetarian soup: minestrone, pasta e fagioli or potato leek.
  • High time for me to expand my cooking repertoire from leek and potato soup and beef stew to something a little more jazzy.
  • Then cut the leek in half lengthwise and soak it in a bowl of water for about five minutes to loosen the dirt.
  • Cover with the remaining spinach and the remaining mushroom and leek mixture.
  • Cut the leek lengthwise by inserting a knife from the base.
British Dictionary definitions for leek

leek

/liːk/
noun
1.
Also called scallion. an alliaceous plant, Allium porrum, with a slender white bulb, cylindrical stem, and broad flat overlapping leaves: used in cooking
2.
any of several related species, such as A. ampeloprasum (wild leek)
3.
a leek, or a representation of one, as a national emblem of Wales
Word Origin
Old English lēac; related to Old Norse laukr, Old High German louh
Word Origin and History for leek
n.

culinary herb, Old English læc (Mercian), leac (West Saxon) "leek, onion, garlic," from Proto-Germanic *lauka- (cf. Old Norse laukr "leek, garlic," Danish løg, Swedish lök "onion," Old Saxon lok "leek," Middle Dutch looc, Dutch look "leek, garlic," Old High German louh, German Lauch "leek"). No known cognates; Finnish laukka, Russian luk-, Old Church Slavonic luku are borrowed from Germanic.

leek in the Bible

(Heb. hatsir; the Allium porrum), rendered "grass" in 1 Kings 18:5, 2 Kings 19:26, Job 40:15, etc.; "herb" in Job 8:12; "hay" in Prov. 27:25, and Isa. 15:6; "leeks" only in Num. 11:5. This Hebrew word seems to denote in this last passage simply herbs, such as lettuce or savoury herbs cooked as kitchen vegetables, and not necessarily what are now called leeks. The leek was a favourite vegetable in Egypt, and is still largely cultivated there and in Palestine.