arugula

a·ru·gu·la
A1R1U1G2U1L1A1
US/əˈɹuɡələ/US, uncommon/əˈɹʊɡələ/

noun

Eruca spp., especially Eruca sativa (syn. Eruca vesicaria subsp. sativa)

Similar
garden rocketrocketerucarocketsaladsalad rocketrucolarucolirugula
UncommonScrabble 8
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Meanings

nounarugula (countable and uncountable, plural arugulas)

plural arugulas

  1. A yellowish-flowered Mediterranean herb of the mustard family with flavoured leaves, often eaten in salads, that has a distinct, peppery flavor, of three species:
    1. countableuncountableEruca spp., especially Eruca sativa (syn. Eruca vesicaria subsp. sativa)

      Synonyms: garden rocket, rocket, eruca, rocketsalad, salad rocket, rucola, rucoli, rugula

    2. countableuncountableDiplotaxis tenuifolia

      Synonyms: perennial wall-rocket

Synonyms & antonyms

nounEruca spp., especially Eruca sativa (syn. Eruca vesicaria subsp. sativa)

Similar
garden rocketrocketerucarocketsaladsalad rocketrucolarucolirugulacolewortroquette

nounDiplotaxis tenuifolia

Similar
perennial wall-rocket

herb

Similar
rugola

More synonyms by meaning

nounerect European annual often grown as a salad crop to be harvested when young and tender

Similar
rocketroquettegarden rocketrocket saladEruca sativaEruca vesicaria sativa
Broader
herbherbaceous plant
Also see
rocketrocket saladroquetterucoli

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

Probably from a Southern Italian dialect word equivalent to Standard Italian rucola, whence also, since c. 1967, English rucola. Also cognate to rocket (“plant”), eruca, roquette.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek εὔζωμον
  • εὔζωμον (eúzōmon)herb
Arabic جَرْجِير
  • جَرْجِير (jarjīr)herb
Catalan ruca
  • rucaherb
Chinese Mandarin 芝麻菜
  • 芝麻菜 (zhīmácài)herb
Czech rukola
  • rukolaherb
Danish rucola, sennepskål
  • rucolaherb
  • sennepskålherb
Dutch raketsla, rucola
  • raketslaherb
  • rucolaherb
Finnish rucola, sinappikaali
  • rucolaherb
  • sinappikaaliherb
French roquette
  • roquetteherb
German Rauke, Rucola
  • Raukeherb
  • Rucolaherb
Greek ρόκα
  • ρόκα (róka)herb
Hungarian borsmustár
  • borsmustárherb
Icelandic klettasalat
  • klettasalatherb
Indonesian arugula
  • arugulaherb
Irish ruachán
  • ruachánherb
Italian rucola, ruchetta
  • rucolaherb
  • ruchettaherb
Japanese ロケット, ルッコラ
  • ロケット (roketto)herb
  • ルッコラ (rukkora)herb
Latin ērūca
  • ērūcaherb
Lithuanian gražgarstė
  • gražgarstėherb
Māori raukati
  • raukatiherb
Persian ترهتیزک, ترتیزک
  • ترهتیزکherb
  • ترتیزک (tare-tizak, tartizak)herb
  • شاهی (šâhi)herb
  • کیکیز (kikiz)herb
Polish rukola
  • rukolaherb
Portuguese rúcula
  • rúculaherb
Romanian rucolă, aragulă
  • rucolăherb
  • aragulăherb
  • ruchetăherb
Russian ру́ккола, рукола
  • ру́ккола (rúkkola)herb
  • рукола (rukola)herb
Spanish rúcula, oruga
  • rúculaherb
  • orugaherb
  • roquetaherb
  • jaramagoherb
  • rucaherb
Swedish rucola, senapskål
  • rucolaherb
  • senapskålherb
Turkish roka
  • rokaherb
Welsh berwr, arfog
  • berwrherb
  • arfogherb
Yiddish אַרוגולע, כמו־⁠שאַלאַטן
  • אַרוגולע (arugule)herb
  • כמו־⁠שאַלאַטן (kmoy-shalatn)herb

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

augural
Cite this entry
APA

arugula. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/arugula

MLA

“arugula.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/arugula. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “arugula,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/arugula.

Source: arugula on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.