1. Any of several aromatic herbs having edible seeds and leaves and stems
   "The chef added fennel seeds to the sausage mixture for extra flavour"
    
2. Aromatic bulbous stem base eaten cooked or raw in salads
   "Finocchio, also known as fennel, has a mild anise flavour";
   - Florence fennel, finocchio
    
3. Fennel leaves used for seasoning
   "She tossed fennel leaves into the fish stew for a hint of liquorice";
   - common fennel
    
4. Fennel seeds are ground and used as a spice or as an ingredient of a spice mixture
   "We added crushed fennel seeds to the Italian sausage mixture"

Derived forms: fennels

Type of: herb, herbaceous plant, spice, veg [Brit, informal], vegetable, veggie [informal]

Part of: common fennel, Florence fennel, Foeniculum, Foeniculum dulce, Foeniculum vulgare, Foeniculum vulgare dulce, genus Foeniculum

Encyclopedia: Fennel