French word

légume

Pronunciation

IPA/legym/

Meaning

  • masculine nounvegetable

Example

Je mange des légumes.

I eat vegetables.

Illustration for légume (vegetable)

More examples

J'achète des légumes au marché tous les samedis.

I buy vegetables at the market every Saturday.

Core concept

Fresh or preserved edible parts of plants gathered for meals.

Common phrases

  • acheter des légumes

    buy vegetables

  • manger des légumes

    eat vegetables

  • un kilo de légumes

    a kilo of vegetables

Similar words

fruit: A sweet plant fruit often eaten raw.
pomme de terre: A starchy underground vegetable usually boiled, baked, or otherwise cooked.
salade: A dish of raw leaves or vegetables mixed together.
aliment: Any food that provides nourishment.

Definition in French

Désigne les plantes ou leurs parties comestibles, généralement vendues comme produits alimentaires frais ou transformés.

Word origin

The French noun légume derives from Latin legumen through Old French, with its meaning expanding from pulses to vegetables more generally.

Usage tips

  • French légume usually means vegetable, unlike English legume, which mainly denotes plants such as beans, peas, and lentils.

Opposites

Word lists with this word