Zucchini

Zucchini (US and Australian English) or courgette (New Zealand and British English) is a vegetable. Its Latin name is Cucurbita pepo.

Courgette comes from the French name of the vegetable, with the same spelling. It is a diminutive of courge, meaning ‘marrow’. Zucchini is the plural of zucchino (IPA: /tsuk'kino/), the Italian for courgette (alongside the more common zucchina), in turn a diminutive of zucca, ‘marrow’.

A zucchini or courgette is a small summer marrow or squash. It can either be yellow or green and has a similar shape to a ridged cucumber. Unlike the cucumber it is usually served cooked. Its flower can be eaten fried or stuffed. It is one of the easiest vegetables to cultivate in a temperate climate.

In 2005, a poll of 2,000 people revealed the courgette to be Britain's 10th favourite culinary vegetable.

External links

• Courgettes, Gourds & AuberginesA history from a Spanish perspective
• Zucchini nutrition information

See also: Zucchini, American English, Australian English, British English, Climate, Cucumber, Diminutive, English language, Green, International Phonetic Alphabet