n. 1 a variety of cabbage with a large immature flower-head of small usu. creamy-white flower-buds. 2 the flower-head eaten as a vegetable. cauliflower cheese a savoury dish of cauliflower in a cheese sauce. cauliflower ear an ear thickened by repeated blows, esp. in boxing.
[ earlier cole-florie etc. f. obs. F chou fleuri flowered cabbage, assim. to COLE and FLOWER ]