n.
Pronunciation: ' brä-k ə -l ē , ' brä-kl ē
Function: noun
Etymology: Italian, plural of broccolo flowering top of a cabbage, diminutive of brocco small nail, sprout
Date: 1699
1 chiefly British : a large hardy cauliflower
2 a : either of two garden vegetable plants closely related to the cabbage: (1) : one with a thick central stem and a compact head of dense usually green florets that is classified with the cauliflower (2) : one ( Brassica oleracea italica ) with slender stems and usually green or purple florets not arranged in a central head b : the stems and immature florets of broccoli used as food