kale meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

kale

noun

CA, UK, US /keɪl/ · AU /kæɪl/

Etymology From Northern Middle English cale, cal (Southern col), from Old English cāl, cāul, cāwel, from Latin caulis. Compare Icelandic kál (“cabbage”), German Kohl (“cabbage”). Doublet of caulis, cole, and gobi.

Usually An edible plant, similar to cabbage, with curled leaves that do not form a dense head (Brassica oleracea var. acephala)

Usually Any of several cabbage-like food plants that are kinds of Brassica oleracea.

Cooking, Food, Lifestyle Usually Broth containing kale as a chief ingredient.

Dated, Slang, Usually Money.

I’ll bet he takes nine-tenths of his kale from women and children, and he’s an honored citizen.1921, Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Efficiency Expert, HTML edition, The Gutenberg Project, published 2012:

Derived terms: Asian kale, black kale, Brusselkale, Chinese kale, curly kale, dinosaur kale, Italian kale, kalelike, kale runt, kalette, muslin-kale, palm tree kale, Red Russian kale, Russian kale, sea kale, Tuscan kale