Lamb’s Lettuce
/ˈlæmz ˌlɛtɪs/noun
A small leafy plant whose tender leaves are eaten as a salad green, also called corn salad or mâche.
Did you know?“Lettuce” traces back to Latin lactūca, named for the plant’s milky sap and sharing a root with lactose, lactic, and galaxy.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic
*lambaz
“Lamb, a young sheep”
Old English
Old English
lamb
“A young sheep”
Ancient Latin
Latin
lactūca
“Lettuce, literally associated with milk because of its milky sap”
Middle English
Middle English
letuse
“Lettuce or a similar edible salad plant”
17th–18th Century
English
lamb’s lettuce
“A name for Valerianella locusta, likely connected with lambs, lambing season, or the plant’s use as fodder”
Modern English
English
lamb’s lettuce
“A tender salad green, also known as corn salad or mâche”