allium

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Allium is the broad botanical name for the whole plant group. In everyday English, people usually choose the specific plant name instead. Onion normally means the round cooking vegetable sold in shops. Garlic refers to the strong-smelling bulb used for flavour. Leek names the long white-and-green vegetable with a milder taste, and chive is the thin green herb cut into small pieces. Garden books also use allium for decorative kinds with tall stems and round flower heads. So you might plant alliums in a flower bed, but cook with onions, garlic, leeks, or chives in the kitchen.

Common collocations

Etymology

From Latin allium, meaning garlic. English later adopted it as a botanical name for the plant group that includes onions, garlic, leeks, and chives.