Alfalfa Definition

ăl-fălfə
noun
A southwest Asian perennial herb (Medicago sativa) in the pea family, having compound leaves with three leaflets and clusters of usually blue-violet flowers. It is widely cultivated as a pasture and hay crop.
American Heritage
A deep-rooted perennial plant (Medicago sativa) of the pea family, with small divided leaves, purple cloverlike flowers, and spiral pods, used extensively for fodder and pasture and as a cover crop.
Webster's New World

(uncountable) A plant, principally of Medicago sativa, grown as a pasture crop.

Wiktionary

(countable) A type or breed of this plant.

Wiktionary
Synonyms:

Other Word Forms of Alfalfa

Noun

Singular:
alfalfa
Plural:
alfalfas

Origin of Alfalfa

  • Spanish from Arabic al-faṭfaṭa al- the faṭfaṭa alfalfa (variant of fiṭfiṭa) (ultimately (probably via Coptic p-espesta) (p- masculine sing. definite article) (espesta alfalfa)) (from Aramaic espestā) (from Middle Persian aspast) (from Old Iranian aspasti-) (aspa- horse ekwo- in Indo-European roots) (-sti- food, fodder ed- in Indo-European roots)

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • From Spanish alfalfez, from Arabic الفصفصة (al-fíṣfiṣa, al-fáṣfaṣa, “fresh fodder”), from Persian اسپست (espest, aspest), from Middle Persian (aspast).

    From Wiktionary

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