What does roquette mean?
Roquette is an edible leafy vegetable with a clean, peppery flavor, especially noticeable when the leaves are eaten raw. It is used in salads, sandwiches, pizzas, pasta dishes, and as a garnish, often alongside ingredients such as Parmesan, lemon, olive oil, and tomatoes. In British English, roquette is the common culinary term for both the plant and its leaves, whereas arugula is the more usual name in American English. “Rocket” is also widely used as a synonym, particularly in British contexts, although it can cause confusion because it is the standard English word for a missile or spacecraft propulsion device. Botanically, roquette belongs to the mustard family and is closely related to watercress and other leafy cruciferous vegetables. The word is especially useful for readers encountering international menus or recipes, where both regional names may appear.
nounAn edible leafy vegetable with a distinctive peppery flavor, also called arugula. The leaves are commonly used raw in salads.
- The edible leafy vegetable known as arugula, especially the peppery-flavored leaves used in salads.
"He topped the pizza with fresh roquette and shaved Parmesan."
"Rocket and roquette salad with lemon and olive oil."
"The sandwich was filled with sliced chicken, tomato, and fresh roquette."
Usually treated as an uncountable mass noun when referring to the leaves as food, but the plural form is used occasionally for individual plants or bunches.
"The nursery grows several varieties of roquettes."
One leafy vegetable, two names: call it roquette in Britain and arugula in America.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of roquette
English borrowed the word from French roquette, which came from Italian ruchetta, a diminutive of ruca. The Italian ruca derives from Latin eruca, the ancient name for the plant. Arugula is another English borrowing from the same broader Latin and Italian source.
How roquette is actually used
In British English, roquette is the usual culinary name for both the plant and its leaves; in American English, arugula is more common. It is normally treated as an uncountable mass noun when referring to the leaves as an ingredient.
Easily confused with roquette
Roquette and arugula are two regional names for the same peppery leafy vegetable; roquette is especially common in British English, while arugula is more common in American English.