cynara scolymus

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)
Cynara scolymus
    n 1: Mediterranean thistlelike plant widely cultivated for its
         large edible flower head [syn: {artichoke}, {globe
         artichoke}, {artichoke plant}, {Cynara scolymus}]
    
from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Globe \Globe\ (gl[=o]b), n. [L. globus, perh. akin to L. glomus
   a ball of yarn, and E. clump, golf: cf. F. globe.]
   1. A round or spherical body, solid or hollow; a body whose
      surface is in every part equidistant from the center; a
      ball; a sphere.
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   2. Anything which is nearly spherical or globular in shape;
      as, the globe of the eye; the globe of a lamp.
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   3. The earth; the terraqueous ball; -- usually preceded by
      the definite article. --Locke.
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   4. A round model of the world; a spherical representation of
      the earth or heavens; as, a terrestrial or celestial
      globe; -- called also {artificial globe}.
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   5. A body of troops, or of men or animals, drawn up in a
      circle; -- a military formation used by the Romans,
      answering to the modern infantry square.
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            Him round
            A globe of fiery seraphim inclosed.   --Milton.
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   {Globe amaranth} (Bot.), a plant of the genus {Gomphrena}
      ({G. globosa}), bearing round heads of variously colored
      flowers, which long retain color when gathered.

   {Globe animalcule}, a small, globular, locomotive organism
      ({Volvox globator}), once throught to be an animal,
      afterward supposed to be a colony of microscopic alg[ae].
      

   {Globe of compression} (Mil.), a kind of mine producing a
      wide crater; -- called also {overcharged mine}.

   {Globe daisy} (Bot.), a plant or flower of the genus
      {Globularing}, common in Europe. The flowers are minute
      and form globular heads.

   {Globe sight}, a form of front sight placed on target rifles.
      

   {Globe slater} (Zool.), an isopod crustacean of the genus
      {Spheroma}.

   {Globe thistle} (Bot.), a thistlelike plant with the flowers
      in large globular heads ({Cynara Scolymus}); also, certain
      species of the related genus {Echinops}.

   {Globe valve}.
      (a) A ball valve.
      (b) A valve inclosed in a globular chamber. --Knight.
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   Syn: {Globe}, {Sphere}, {Orb}, {Ball}.

   Usage: Globe denotes a round, and usually a solid body;
          sphere is the term applied in astronomy to such a
          body, or to the concentric spheres or orbs of the old
          astronomers; orb is used, especially in poetry, for
          globe or sphere, and also for the pathway of a
          heavenly body; ball is applied to the heavenly bodies
          concieved of as impelled through space.
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from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Artichoke \Ar"ti*choke\, n. [It. articiocco, perh. corrupted fr.
   the same word as carciofo; cf. older spellings archiciocco,
   archicioffo, carciocco, and Sp. alcachofa, Pg. alcachofra;
   prob. fr. Ar. al-harshaf, al-kharsh[=u]f.] (Bot.)
   1. The {Cynara scolymus}, a plant somewhat resembling a
      thistle, with a dilated, imbricated, and prickly
      involucre. The head (to which the name is also applied) is
      composed of numerous oval scales, inclosing the florets,
      sitting on a broad receptacle, which, with the fleshy base
      of the scales, is much esteemed as an article of food.
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   2. See {Jerusalem artichoke}.
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