Definition of spinach

The asparagus-like plant called spinach was first cultivated in ancient Persia (present-day Iran) around 2,000 years ago. The Persians called it ispand, which is believed to come from the Persian words espanak (meaning green palm) or the Sanskrit word shringga (meaning king). The plant soon spread to the eastern Mediterranean region, where it was consumed primarily as a medicinal herb. The ancient Greeks dubbed it phyne (φύνε), which has a similar root to the modern Greek word for clotted spinach, phynekia (φυνεκιά). In the 10th century, Arabs introduced spinach to the Moors in Spain, where it became known as espinas (meaning thorns) due to the plant's prickly stem. Its name stuck when the Moors invaded southern France, and spinach soon made its way northward. The French, who called it espinache, further altered the word when they encountered the English, who already had a word for green vegetables: salate (meaning salad greens). French speakers began pronouncing spinach as epiniche, which evolved into spinache in modern French. The English first encountered the vegetable in the 14th century, from the French who called it accomplishi, meaning “accomplished.” It's believed this name came from the fact that the green leafy plant was seen as a refined addition to meals. Eventually, the French name spinache became popular, possibly through the influence of an Anglo-French cookbook called Le Viandier. From there, spinach became a fixture in English cuisine, commonly used in soups, stews, and pies. In modern English, the word spinach has lost its French-influenced accent (é), becoming spinach. But its pronunciation and spelling remain a testament to its intricate linguistic history.