noun
cress
KRES/kres/
A small edible plant with peppery leaves used in salads.
Fresh cress adds a peppery bite to this simple salad.
Etymology
Old English cresse named the plant itself. The modern salad sense continues that old plant name for a member of the mustard family.
More examples
- She grows cress in a tray on the windowsill.
- I tuck a handful of cress into my egg sandwich.
- Snip the cress just above the soil and rinse it.
Forms
cress · cresses
Similar words
- watercress
- A specific cress that grows in or near water.
- arugula
- A different peppery salad green, typically with larger, lobed leaves.