Definition of broccoli

Short definition: The word broccoli means a green vegetable with small flower heads that people cook and eat as part of healthy meals. People often talk about broccoli when discussing nutrition, balanced diets, and simple ways to add more vegetables to daily food.

Looking for a clear and natural explanation of the word broccoli? The word broccoli often appears in conversations about healthy food, but it also brings different feelings to different people. Some love its fresh taste and crunchy texture, while others remember being told to finish it on their plate as kids. In everyday life, broccoli is more than just a vegetable, it represents healthy choices, family meals, and learning to enjoy food that is good for your body. Below, each meaning is explained in a relaxed and natural way, with explanations that feel human instead of stiff like a textbook.

Noun forms: broccoli
Related: broccolini n., cauliflower n.
Syllable: broc-co-li

1. A green vegetable with small flower-like tops that people eat.

   In its most basic meaning, broccoli is a green vegetable that looks like a tiny tree. People cook it in many ways—steamed, boiled, roasted, or even eaten raw in salads. For many families, broccoli is one of the first vegetables children learn to recognize on their plates.

   She added fresh broccoli to the pasta, giving the meal more color and crunch.
   He steamed some broccoli to serve as a simple side dish for dinner.
   The market sells organic broccoli that stays fresh for days in the fridge.

   Synonyms: green vegetable, cruciferous vegetable, healthy veggie, fresh greens, garden vegetable, leafy food, plant food, nutritious vegetable, farm produce, fresh produce, cooking vegetable, dinner veggie
   Antonyms: junk food, processed snack, sugary treat, fast food, unhealthy food, greasy food, artificial food, packaged snack, fried food, sweet dessert, candy, chips

2. A symbol of healthy eating and good habits.

   Beyond being food, broccoli often represents the idea of eating well and taking care of your body. People talk about it when they discuss diets, fitness goals, or lifestyle changes. In this sense, broccoli stands for making better choices, even when they are not always the easiest ones.

   Adding more broccoli to her meals made her feel proud of her healthier routine.
   He joked that eating broccoli was his first step toward a better lifestyle.
   For many parents, serving broccoli feels like teaching children about good habits early.

   Synonyms: healthy choice, clean eating symbol, nutritious food, wellness food, diet-friendly food, fitness food, good habit symbol, healthy option, smart food choice, nutritious option, lifestyle food, health food
   Antonyms: unhealthy habit, junk choice, bad eating, poor diet, unhealthy option, fast-food lifestyle, careless eating, greasy habit, sugar habit, snack culture, unhealthy routine, poor food choice

3. A food that children often learn to accept over time.

   For many kids, broccoli is not love at first bite. It can taste strange at first, but as people grow older, they often learn to enjoy it. In this way, broccoli becomes part of growing up— learning that healthy food can also be tasty.

   As a child, she hated broccoli, but now she adds it to almost every meal.
   He promised himself to try broccoli again as an adult, and surprisingly liked it.
   The kids slowly started to enjoy broccoli after their parents cooked it with cheese.

   Synonyms: growing-up food, acquired taste, learning food, healthy challenge, new taste, training food, taste education, diet habit, food lesson, healthy experiment, maturing taste, new flavor
   Antonyms: favorite snack, instant favorite, comfort food, sweet treat, easy choice, junk snack, sugary delight, fast-food favorite, childhood treat, guilty pleasure, instant joy food, easy love food

4. A common ingredient in many different cuisines.

   Broccoli is used all over the world, from simple home cooking to restaurant dishes. It appears in stir-fries, soups, casseroles, and even smoothies. This shows how one simple vegetable can fit into many cultures and tastes.

   The chef added broccoli to the stir-fry for extra color and flavor.
   She learned to cook broccoli in different ways after traveling abroad.
   That recipe uses broccoli to make the soup more filling and healthy.

   Synonyms: cooking ingredient, kitchen staple, common vegetable, meal addition, recipe favorite, healthy ingredient, everyday veggie, cooking basic, food staple, diet staple, kitchen essential, meal helper
   Antonyms: rare ingredient, luxury food, special-occasion dish, uncommon food, hard-to-find item, exotic ingredient, limited-use food, festival dish, luxury meal, premium food, rare treat, special-only food

5. A word that represents balance between taste and health.

   In a broader sense, broccoli represents the idea that good food does not have to be boring. It shows how people try to balance enjoyment with taking care of their bodies. For many, learning to like broccoli is part of learning to love healthier living.

   Choosing broccoli over fries felt like a small win for his health.
   She learned to cook broccoli in tasty ways so eating healthy felt easier.
   For him, broccoli became a symbol of positive change in his life.

   Synonyms: healthy balance symbol, smart eating sign, wellness choice, good habit marker, lifestyle symbol, nutritious choice, diet symbol, health reminder, positive change food, balanced diet sign, clean-eating icon, wellness icon
   Antonyms: unhealthy symbol, junk-food icon, careless eating sign, bad habit marker, unhealthy lifestyle symbol, poor diet sign, greasy choice symbol, sugar habit icon, fast-food culture, unhealthy routine sign, bad eating symbol, careless food sign