CAULIFLOWER


Meaning of CAULIFLOWER in English

I. ˈkȯlə, ˈkäl-, -lē also ˈkəl-+ˌ- noun

( -s )

Usage: often attributive

Etymology: alteration (influenced by Latin caulis cabbage and English flower ) of earlier colieflorie, modification of Italian caoli fiori, plural of cavolfiore, literally, cabbage flower, from cavolo cabbage (from Late Latin caulus, alteration of Latin caulis ) + fiore flower, from Latin flor-, flos — more at cole , flower

1. : a garden plant ( Brassica oleracea botrytis ) that is closely related to the cabbage and is grown for its edible head of greatly modified and compacted white or purplish undeveloped flowers — see broccoli

2. : the flower cluster of the cauliflower used as a vegetable

3. : something resembling a cauliflower ; especially : a cloud shaped like a cauliflower cluster

II. transitive verb

( -ed/-ing/-s )

: to disfigure (an ear) especially by repeated blows in boxing

Webster's New International English Dictionary.      Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster.