any of various perennial, onionlike, wild or garden vegetables (genus Allium, esp. A. porrum) of the lily family, having a small bulb with a cylindrical stem, and broad, flat, folded leaves: used in soups, sauces, etc.
Origin of leek
Middle English lek from Old English leac, akin to German lauch from uncertain or unknown; perhaps Indo-European base an unverified form leug-, to bend from source Classical Latin luxus, excess: so named uncertain or unknown; perhaps from its outward-bent leaves
