Brussels sprout

Alternative forms

• brussel sprout

Etymology

Brussels sprouts

Recorded since 1748. Named after Brussels, the capital city of the duchy of Brabant and presently of Belgium. Sprout is from Old English -sprutan (in asprutan (“to sprout”); cognate with Old Saxon sprutan, Old Frisian spruta, Middle Dutch spruten, modern Dutch spruit (“sprout; Brussels sprout”), Old High German spriozan, German sprießen (“to sprout”), from Proto-Germanic *spreutaną, from Proto-Indo-European *sper- (“to strew”).

Noun

Brussels sprout (plural Brussels sprouts)

1. The green vegetable Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera, a cabbage variety native to Belgium.

   Brussels sprouts reach a length of 4 centimeters and resemble clusters of miniature cabbages.

Usage notes

• rarely used in the singular.

Anagrams

• brussel sprouts