brassica oleracea
The English word 'broccoli' is expressed in Latin as brassica oleracea.
The scientific name for broccoli is brassica oleracea.
Meaning: plant Brassica oleracea var. italica (noun)
Did you know?
- Ancient Romans typically seasoned their brassica with a salty fermented fish sauce called garum, which is the opposite of the butter or cheese often used today.
- In a comedy by the playwright Plautus, the term brassica was used to mean 'to cut off the head'.
- While English has a dedicated word for 'broccoli', Latin uses brassica oleracea to describe a wider group of plants including cabbage, kale and Brussels sprouts.
