Jerusalem artichoke

Plant with flowers (1)

Meaning

A variety of sunflower, Helianthus tuberosus, native to North America, having yellow flower heads and edible tubers.
The tuber of this plant, eaten as a vegetable.

Uncertain, possible corruption of Italian girasole articiocco ("sunflower artichoke"), with girasole mistaken for the word Jerusalem via folk etymology.{{cite-book
|author = Smith, James Edward
|authorlink=James Edward Smith
|year = 1807
|chapter = 12
|title = An introduction to physiological and systematical botany
|passage = A corruption, as I presume, of the Italian name Girasole Articiocco, sun-flower Artichoke, as the plant was first brought from Peru to Italy, and thence propagated throughout Europe.

Explore and search massive catalog of over 900,000 word meanings.

Get a curated memorable word every day.

Level up your vocabulary by setting personal goals.

Try out Vedaist now.