/en"duyv, ahn"deev/ ; Fr. /ahonn deev"/ , n. , pl. endives /-duyvz, -deevz/ ; Fr. /-deev"/ .
1. a composite plant, Cichorium endivia, having a rosette of often curly-edged leaves used in salads. Cf. escarole .
2. Also called Belgian endive, French endive, witloof . a young chicory plant, deprived of light to form a narrow head of whitish leaves that are eaten as a cooked vegetable or used raw in salads.
3. Furniture. an ornamental motif having the form of an arrangement of acanthus or endive leaves.
[ 1325-75; ME entýbia, pl. of ENTÝBION, deriv. of earlier éntybon intubum, intibum, earlier intubus chicory, endive, perh. ]